So It Begins
by Elfin Maid
Summary: "War is coming," she said softly. "And there is nothing we can do to stop it. In the end, we will all only have one choice – to fight or die." She turned to him, her eyes bright. "And if I must die, I will fall with black blood on my blade." Tauriel Triology #2, pre-DoS/post-BotFA. Complete!
1. Tauriel

**Welcome back to those of you who have been following Tauriel in So Be It, and welcome to those of you who are new here!**

**As part two in the Tauriel Trilogy, this fic will contain references to So Be It, and will probably make more sense if you read that fic first. But, definitely not a requirement! :)**

**So It Begins will be following Tauriel through the DoS, and a little bit past the BotFA. After that, we will be heading into the _uncharted lands_...**

**I will be doing my best to follow the events from the movies as closely as possible, but most of the time I will be quoting on memory-forgive me if I leave anything out.**

**Also, some small events will be changed, nothing huge, just minor details to fit the story line -I will place a warning in the A/N.**

**And, just to warn all those who** **don't like Legriel, yes, this is a Legriel fic. So please, no flames!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Tauriel rubbed her eyes viciously, trying to clear the exaustion from them.

She was unsuccessful.

Years had passed since she had become Captain of the Guard, and she had worked her guards hard. Many, many hundreds of hours spent practicing drills, striving to make them the absolute best she could, straining to fullfill what she thought she must.

It was paying off, though.

They were flourishing, excelling in all areas of combat. Elves that had before been lagging behind were now racing ahead to achieve excellence.

They were happy.

Tauriel, however, was not.

She needed to be released from the stone walls holding her captive, yearned for the freedom she knew she would most likely never have.

And her patience was wearing thin with the Elvenking.

As more time had passed, the forest had sickened even more. Darkness had enveloped the once green lands.

Thranduil said that the woodland would heal.

Tauriel said-knew, with all her heart-that it wouldn't. Not before the darkness spawning in the south was silenced.

She shivered slightly.

More and more, she feared the evil rising over the lands, hated whatever, whoever, was causing these terrible things.

The spiders would not go away.

No matter how hard she tried, Tauriel could not destroy them all.

Once, in a rare and sudden fit of rage, she had sent guards out all over the Greenwood, with orders to destroy any nests of spiders they found.

For a time, she suceeded. The spiders were gone, and Thranduil was pleased.

But soon, they were back.

That day, Tauriel had lain on her bed and wept with mingled rage, desperation and confusion.

_This is not what I wanted_, she had insisted to herself.

_Ah,_ but her mind snickered, _you wanted power. You have it now, and are you happy_?

She had refrained from answering herself, choosing to ignore the answer staring her in the face.

Deep down, she knew.

Oh, yes, she knew.

_All is lost for the Greenwood-or Mirkwood, as so many call it now,_ she thought bitterly,_ unless the Elvenking awakens to what is happening in other lands. It seems he cares only for his own kingdom._

_It is perhaps a good thing that he does not hold a Ring of Power_, she reflected a few moments later. _I fear what could have happened to him with so much more power in his hand._

Rising, Tauriel carefully unbraided her long red hair. Wincing as she accidentally jerked several strands out, she brushed it out over her shoulders.

Massaging her sore scalp, Tauriel sat with her head in her hands.

_I was not ready_, she realized._ I was not ready for so much. And now I can not go back_.

_I can never go back._

_Never go back._

* * *

Several days later, she stood bellowing out a mingled string of orders and curses. She was in the process of training a new group of cadets, and the young elves were proving to be very difficult.

One, in particular, a young elleth with a tangled mane of sandy hair, was testing her patience with continous requests for more in-depth instructions.

_I am beggining to understand why Estelin resigned_, Tauriel groaned to herself as the small elf approached her yet again.

"Yes?" Tauriel asked, repressing a sigh.

"I am sorry, Captain," the other elleth said timidly, "but I was wondering if perhaps you could instruct me in a finer art of swordplay...?"

Tauriel resisted a smile, thinking wistfully that this young one was so much like herself when she had been very young, and unburdened.

She repressed it, instead considering the request more carefully.

"Did you finish the assignments I gave you and your partner?" Tauriel finally asked.

The elleth brightened considerably. "Oh, yes! I completed them long ago." The elleth's words held no self pride at all; she was merely stating what she considered to be facts.

"Show me," Tauriel demanded, positioning herself for a better view of the girl as she moved to attack the dummies Tauriel had placed around the area.

Immediately, the small, wiry elf complied. Drawing her dull, clumsy training sword, she spun and twisted around the bags of sand stacked together.

As the small elleth-what was her name? Tauriel wondered-dodged invisible opponets, she was viciously attacking the bag. Within seconds, sand was spilling out of numerous holes.

"Enough," Tauriel commanded. She had remembered the elleth's name, and was more than satisfied with her performance. "That was very good, Mariniel. I am pleased."

Mariniel stopped, panting slightly. "Thank you, Captain."

Tauriel eyed the strong, slim form as she stood. The girl had obvious skill, that was clear enough. But, she wondered, did she have the endurance and commitment that was so often lacking?

"Attack me," she commanded, holding her pair of daggers ready.

Mariniel did so, woefully incompetent compared to Tauriel, but still doing a good job. Within seconds, however, it was over, Tauriel holding the elleth at sword point.

"Good job," Tauriel said with another hint of a smile. "Report back to me each day for more lessons."

The girl bounced away, and Tauriel stared after her.

_So carefree_, she thought. _How I envy her._

* * *

Tauriel spared Legolas barely a glance as she passed him.

She was rushing to the gates. A messenger from Rivendell was due to arrive any moment, and she was determinded to open the gates for him.

"Wait, Tauriel," Legolas called after her.

"_What_?" she snapped, turning.

Now that he had her attention, Legolas seemed at a loss for words. Opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water, he stood looking at her rather foolishly.

Tauriel waited three seconds, threw up her hands in disgust, and ran towards the gates.

She arrived, panting lightly, just minutes later-a personal best for her. Usually, she took her time traversing the narrow stone paths. Today, she was eager to hear news from Lord Elrond. It had been many months since they had received any word from him.

Hoofbeats sounded on the hard stone arch, and Tauriel started.

"Open the gates!" she roared, then doubled over coughing. _I really overdid it that time_, she thought, clearing her throat,

The giant stone walls swung outward, and a horse and rider barreled through them. The animal was screaming in terror, and the rider was holding on for dear life.

Tauriel leaped forward to grab the horse's reins, narrowly avoiding beging scraped by pawing hooves. The mare, a coppery bay, reminded her of her old horses, Sianye' and Memory.

She shook the thought away, still struggling to calm the animal, and turned to the rider.

Dismounting, the elf removed its helmet, shaking down long, curly blonde hair.

Tauriel crushed the urge to gasp in shock.

She had only known one elf with those distinctive slanted gray eyes. Cahaldriel.

The elleth stepped forward slightly, eyes searching her face. "Tauriel?"

"Cahaldriel?" Tauriel whispered.

A mutual understanding passed between them, and they stepped forward into each other's arms.

Cahaldriel, who was slim and slight, was fairly crushed in Tauriel's rib-creaking hug.

"_Enough_," she finally grunted. "I...can't...breath!"

Tauriel stepped back, slightly embarrased. It was her most public display of affection in years. "I was so worried!" she said.

Cahaldriel gasped for air, still recovering, then took her mare's reins. "I am sorry, _mellon nin_. I did not know," she assured her friend, speaking of her cousin's crushing betrayal decades ago.

Tauriel's face softened as she patted the sweat soaked animal. "I am glad. What happened?" she asked, referring to the panicked horse.

Her friend's face sobered. "Spiders. I barely managed to make it here. They were right behind me. What has happenened to you?"

Tauriel glanced down at her Captain's attire, and smiled. "I was promoted." Her mind filtered through what her friend had said, belatedly. "Spiders? Where?"

Cahaldriel's eyes glittered with suppressed tears. "Remember the clearing?" she asked, barely audible.

This time, Tauriel did gasp. "_No_!" The clearing had been her only spot of freedom ever since she had been a child. It was the same one she had acidentally led Legolas to before she had been made Captain.

"Yes, Tauriel. I am sorry."

Tauriel shook her head, silent for several long seconds. "Very well. I am glad you made it here safely."

"The forest is so sick, Tauriel." Big gray eyes met her gaze unblinkingly.

"I know. It has been that way for a long time, now." Tauriel started the horse forward, sadness filling her at the mention of the woodland. "Come. I will check your mare for injuries, and then we can both report the Elvenking."

* * *

**First chapter over! And if you're worried about how little action there was, fear not! This chapter sets the ground work for many of the later chapters.**

**I will be updating as often as possible.**

**I hope to see some familiar pen names!**

**R&amp;R, please!**


	2. Gyldyril

**Chapter two! Thank you to all those who reviewed, followed, and faved :) I'm glad that y'all are enjoying it so far!**

**Attheturnofthetide, I can certainly feel for you! LOL!**  
**Sol3bug, this is an ongoing mystery for both Tauriel and readers, so it could be many chapters :) I'm not sure if you've read So Be It, but that fic explains a lot more, since it is longer.**  
**Jedi Kay-Kenobi, yeah, well, I think we have that in this chapter...**

**Please forgive any spelling or grammatical errors, I'm fighting my auto spell whenever I write on my phone, and this chapter was written almost completely so-darn laptop crashed. I think my hard drive finally met its end. Oh, well. It lasted seven years!**

**On to the story!**

* * *

Thranduil fixed Tauriel and Cahaldriel with an icy glare.

"You mean to say," he rumbled, "that the spiders have yet another nest?"

"Yes, my lord," Tauriel said, bowing low. "I have destroyed that nest once already. I plan to remove it again soon, along with the one closer to the south."

"No," Thranduil snapped. "You will take a group of guards out by tomorrow and rid the forest of this filth." He turned to a servant, who was standing impassively against the wall. "Send for Legolas. Tell him it is of utmost importance that he comes immediately."

A muscle in Tauriel's cheek twitched slightly. Supressing a growl of annoyance, she tried to make him see what she was making at. "My lord," she said, straining to keep a strong hold on her temper, "forgive me for saying so, but I had planned to do it in a more... thorough way."

"You will obey my orders," the Elvenking told her icily.

Cahaldriel inhaled through her nose, clearly nervous. "My lord?" she asked in a slightly unsteady voice.

"What?" Thranduil snapped, back turned on them.

"I bring news from Rivendell," Cahaldriel continued.

This got the Elvenking's attention. "And?" he demanded.

"The dwarves are seeking the Lonely Mountain," Cahaldriel revealed, holding her chin high, even though she was trembling.

"What?!" Thranduil practically roared, making both elleths take a step or two backward.

"I am here, father," Legolas said, entering the room.

Thranduil had paled considerably, but Tauriel doubted if it was because of anything other than rage. She knew of the Elvenking's hatred of all dwarves.

The Elvenking ignored his son, who went to stand by Tauriel and Cahaldriel. "They dare," he growled, "to seek what is no longer theirs!" He turned away, broad shoulders stiff with anger.

Tauriel directed a glare on Legolas, who shrugged slightly.

"This is no mere fit of rage," Tauriel hissed. "What happened between him and the dwarves on the Lonely Mountain?"

Cahaldriel suddenly melted into the shadows, clearly ready to escape the room and leave the Elvenking's wrath behind.

Legolas shrugged again.

Tauriel, who had spent many long years schooling her frustration, successfully bit down the urge to slap him. "You must tell me," she said in a low and slightly urgent voice. "I have to know."

Legolas sighed, putting his head in his hands. "He will kill me," he moaned. "Very well, Tauriel. The dwarves refused him some jewels long ago. He has kept a grudge against them ever since." It was an extremely short version of what Legolas actually knew, but he hoped it would satisfy Tauriel.

"Oh," Tauriel said, suddenly remembering the tales about the flames consuming the dwarves' mountain. "And he refused to help them, didn't he?"

Legolas nodded, relieved.

Pieces of the puzzle fell into place. "This is even worse than I thought," Tauriel muttered under her breath. "Cahaldriel, come here!" she demanded.

Hesitantly, the elleth appeared again.

"Tell me," Tauriel snapped, "exactly what Lord Elrond told you. Now."

"Yes, Tauriel." Cahaldriel took a deep breath. "Lord Elrond said that the dwarves had a map, and that they were seeking a way into the Lonely Mountain. He suspects that they are trying to take back the Mountain. He said that they will likely be coming through the Greenwood on their way. There are thirteen, he said, and the wizard. And a halfling, I believe."

Tauriel fought the urge to slam her head against a wall. "Thank you," she growled. "Now, please leave."

Cahaldriel needed no further urging. Within seconds, she had disappeared.

Thranduil, still pale with anger, had turned back to them. "How many are there?" he hissed.

Tauriel once again fought her temper down. "Fourteen," she said calmly, thinking it best to omit the fact that one was a halfling. "And a wizard."

"Leave me," Thranduil commanded.

"Very well, my lord," Tauriel agreed, and left the Elvenking's presence.

Thranduil sat, in near darkness, for many hours.

Thinking.

And, he finally realized, he was afraid.

For this meant the start of an event he had always hoped would not come.

* * *

Tauriel marched down the stone steps to the cell where Gyldyril was being kept, boots slapping the floor firmly.

She had made a habit of checking on the one particular prisoner that made a trickle of fear run down her spine.

_Gyldyril._

Traitor. Kin. Prisoner.

And as Captain, it was her duty to check that each prisoner was in their cell, and on most cases try and gain useful information from them.

Even if the prisoner was more likely to gain information from her than she from them.

Stopping before the iron bars seperating the prisoner from her, Tauriel stared at Gyldyril for several seconds. Although her eyes were closed, Tauriel knew what Gyldyril's eyes looked like.

She knew what every inch of her face looked like, and not by choice. It haunted her nightmares.

White hair, tangled and matted; slanted green-blue eyes, and most recognisable, the high cheek bones and full lips.

An older, much more ragged version of herself.

It was a chilling thought.

Tauriel hesitated, debating on whether or not to wake Gyldyril, then snapped, "Prisoner! Wake up!"

Gyldyril flew forward, nearly ramming her head into the bars. Snarling, she gripped the bars, obviously demented.

Tauriel took an involuntary step backward, then composed herself.

Gyldyril bared her teeth, then calmed slightly. "Hello, child," she sneered, obviously recognizing Tauriel.

"Hello, prisoner," Tauriel sneered right back.

Gyldyril stared at Tauriel for several heartbeats, and then fell backward, insane laughter rattling out of her throat. "Oh, child," she wheezed, "you truly think you run things, don't you?

Determined to keep her composure, Tauriel just looked at the prisoner.

"Oh, yes, you do," Gyldyril laughed. Her expression changed, and suddenly there was a new glint to her eyes. Her voice softened as she continued. "I pity you. You are falling into the same trap I did. Power leads to your inevitable fall." She edged forward to the front of her cell, eyes huge in her sunken face.

Tauriel stared in shock at the elf who was her own blood, who had, she was sure, once loved and lost.

Just like Audriel.

Tauriel licked her lips nervously, taken off guard for the first time in many years.

Taking several steps forward, right to the door of the cell, she looked at the broken, bitter elf in front of her.

Lord Elrond's words rushed back to her, words spoken what seemed like an eternity ago.

_You will fall from the height of your life, and become forgotten by even those who loved you. You will fall, and become one with all that you have tried to fight; and then, when all hope has left you, you will find, once more, the light, and be taken from Shadow to rise again and seek a new life._

Suddenly dizzy, Tauriel gasped for air, and sank down onto the stone steps.

Gyldyril looked right back at her, a wild smile playing on her chapped lips.

Still staring at her kin, Tauriel saw a sliver of sanity underneath the darkness marring Gyldyril's very being.

"You had a heart once," she found herself saying out loud.

Something washed across Gyldyril's face, so raw and full of emotion that Tauriel unconciously glanced away.

"They say I did," Gyldyril whispered hoarsely. "They say I loved her. They say I loved him, too, but I do not remember..." She trailed off, staring into the air.

Tauriel swallowed, once, twice, and fought to control her emotions.

"Who?" she finally whispered.

Gyldyril stared at Tauriel again, eyes roving over her face desperately. Her lips parted, and she spoke. "I...cannot remember." She reached out with one withered hand and forced it between two bars, touching Tauriel's cheek.

Tauriel flinched, resisting the urge to pull away. _She cannot hurt you_, she reminded herself. It was a feeble reminder. This was the elf that had almost suceeded in killing her.

"She...was like _you_," Gyldyril whispered.

She suddenly jerked away again, turning her back on Tauriel.

"I can't remember!" she wailed, huge sobs wracking her emaciated form.

Tauriel swallowed again, hard. She felt an odd connection to this elf, traitor though she was, who had lost so much-and gained nothing. Helplessly, she watched as Gyldyril slammed her head onto the stone walls. Soon, blood was streaming down her face and into her mouth.

_There is nothing I can do_, Tauriel realized, horrified and deeply pained. _Nothing I can do_.

Trembling, Tauriel continued her rounds.

_Remember,_ she reminded herself, _nothing will change the fact that she is a traitor._

_But, was it her choice?_

_Or was it all another lie, woven out of evil's webs_?

* * *

Thranduil stood.

"Send for the Captain. I have made my choice."

* * *

**So, there we have it. Chapter two. **

**I brought Gyldyril back into the story because she is an important part of Tauriel's past. She will also be in later chapters, as I have something planned...**

**Also, if anyone remembers Laergulel from So Be It, she will be showing up soon...**

**I couldn't resist spoiling that.**

**Let's keep those reviews comin' :)) More reviews equals faster updates!**


	3. Cry for Help

**We are entering the DoS time period! :)) This chapter is short, but the next one is reeeaallly long-one of my longest ever. **

**Also, I did not put any Elvish in this chapter. I'm not planning on doing any, since you would assume that the elves speak in their language most of the time any way, so I'm sorry if that is a disappointment. My life is insane right now, and if I did decided to translate it, I'm worried that I will not be able to find the time. So, for now, no long parts of Elvish. :(**

**Thank you, reviewers, followers, and faves! I'm on a time crunch right now, but I'll do my best to respond to reviews in the next chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Yes, my lord?" Tauriel asked, standing rigidly in front of him.

Thranduil turned towards her, face expressionless. "I have come to a decision," he declared calmly, all traces of his previous anger gone.

"_Yes_, my lord?" Tauriel said again, placing an emphasis on the first word.

Thranduil looked at her out of one grey eye. "You will destroy the nest as ordered. This is not the first time the spiders have inhabited that part of the forest. Why, then, do you seem to be ignoring the problem?"

Tauriel clenched her jaw. "My lord," she said coldly, "they are spawning in the south. Until their source is destroyed, they will continue to fester in the forest. I have been sending guards into the woodland often, and they have destroyed all nests they find. I have been doing my best to keep the forest clean from the foul creatures."

Thranduil looked at her again, and for a moment Tauriel thought his left eye turned white and milky. She blinked, and his eye was back to normal.

"You will personally escort your guards each time they go out to cleanse the woodland," he said icily. "I will not have our lands inhabited by that filth."

A muscle twitched underneath Tauriel's eye, and she fought the urge to open her mouth and say everything she had been holding back for so long.

"Of course, my lord," she whispered.

She was Captain of the Guard, and she did not have that choice.

* * *

Several weeks later, Tauriel was walking among the ranks of her best guards. There was a particularly large nest, and she was aprehensive about the fact that, according to Lord Elrond, the dwarves should be passing through Mirkwood any time now.

Everyone was on edge. After Cahaldriel had left, the forest had deteriorated even more. Tauriel, in particular, felt it more than the others did.

The trees were silent, eerily so. Every time she walked the woodland, she was reminded of her faliure, and what it had done to the trees.

It kept her going, though. She was fighting with everything she could.

The group of roughly thirty guards stood, Legolas and Leniyaen among them. The latter had his customary scowl on his face, and was slouching slightly.

"Our goal is to destroy the nest," Tauriel called out, voice ringing through the room. She was watching Leniyaen carefully, because the elf was not the best at following direct orders.

He was, however, one of her best archers, and was fairly good with a sword as well-the product of many hours of drills and lectures on Tauriel's part.

As she had feared, Leniyaen stepped forward, a mocking look marring his features.

"What is the use?" he sneered. "We have destroyed countless nests, and each time you send us back out with more orders."

Tauriel looked at him for a second, making a quick descision. "Demoted to Keeper of the Keys for one month," she told him calmly, knowing in her heart he was right.

Leniyaen threw up his hands slightly, and stomped away. The others stepped closer to each other to fill in the space he had left.

_Sometimes_, Tauriel thought, _I wonder if he is so ornery on purpose, to get out of work, or if he really cannot help it_?

"As I was saying," she continued, "our primary goal is to destroy the nests. However, if you find anything out of the ordinary, please report back to me." She turned crisply, gesturing for the others to follow her.

* * *

Tauriel stood, looking out among the seemingly endless sea of cracked and wasted woodland. The tops of the trees were still bright, safe from the evil below them.

Distantly, she acknowledged her guards spreading out, dispatching the odd spider here and there.

She ducked below a branch, then fell back a step.

Someone had been there first.

Dead spiders.

_Everywhere_.

And tracks, dwarf tracks.

Tauriel stumbled backward, thinking of what they must have faced. The fear, the fact that it was likely several were dead.

She stood, looking out at the mess of spiders and webs and branches, shock shooting through her like poison, mixed with compassion and sadness. She did not share Thranduil's hatred of dwarves.

And vaguely, she heard a voice. Whispering.

_Tauriel_...

* * *

Legolas saw them, a group of the disgusting creatures surrounded by spiders.

He knew that his first goal was to kill the spiders, but with so many well-trained guards, he feared more their possible escape than the spiders.

He grabbed a string of spider silk, spinning down after the spider. In seconds, he had crushed that particular spider, sliding under another, slitting its abdomen as he drew an arrow and nocked his bow.

Regaining his feet, Legolas stared down the arrow into the face of a scraggly, weary looking dwarf with grey streaked hair. Other members of the guard suddenly appeared, bows nocked and drawn, all aimed at the dwarves.

The fool tried to block his arrow, but Legolas did not shoot.

Not yet, at least.

"Do not think I won't kill you dwarf," he said coldly, drawing back his bowstring even more. "It would be my pleasure."

* * *

Tauriel drew her dagger, sending it spinning into the gaping maw of one spider while she loosed her arrows into several others. They were streaming into the clearing faster now, and she was begining to loose her cool.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she fought desperately for a foothold on the blood-slicked log she was standing on, boots covered in spider entrails.

There is no one here to save me, she thought, and reached deep into her mind for her connection to the trees.

_Please_, she begged. _Help me_!

There was nothing, save the moan of dead branches brushing against each other.

Sweat poured down Tauriel's face as she jumped, desperately, for a branch a good four feet above her, her only chance.

Captain she might be, but even the best had their limits. And she could not take thirty spiders by herself, on the ground.

Her fingers grabbed desperately for a handhold, and as one finger hooked over the branch, Tauriel cried out in pain as it supported her weight for half a second. Then she had both hands on the branch, and had hauled herself up completely.

Tauriel shook her hand, biting her tongue so hard it bled as her figer popped back into place. Relief was instant, but not complete.

She checked her quiver, looked at her limited supply of arrows, and made her descision.

No one was coming to help her.

She had only one choice, and that was to fight.

Minutes, perhaps even hours later, she did not know. The spiders were dead, and she was free to leave. Wiping her daggers clean, she started making her way to the clearing the main nest of spiders was in.

Then she heard the scream, sending a chill running from her scalp down her backbone.

"Aaahh! _Help_!"

* * *

**I know, I know, another cliffhanger. Please, don't kill me yet!**

**I will do my best to update soon!**

**As always, reviews are love :)**


	4. Dwarves

**And here we have it, CHAPTER FOUR! Yay for a nice, long chapter, finally! Thank you, reviewers, followers, and faves!**

**I don't think I received any questions except this one, please forgive me if I missed yours. **

**Is it Kili? Well, I think after this chapter that will be quite obvious :)**

**Moving on...**

* * *

"_Kili_!" someone screamed.

Tauriel flew into action. She did not fully understand what her legs and arms were doing, but within seconds she was running along a branch towards the source of the screams.

Adrenaline over-took her once more, and all she could see was the spiders, the only thoughts in her mind ones of destroying them.

As she jumped on top of one spider, Tauriel loosed an arrow into another, her movements calculated as she judged where she would jump, and as she did so, rolling towards the spider and drawing one of her daggers at the same time. Stabbing the furious spider, she whirled and started slashing. Her blade sang as it encountered fangs, and the sound made her head pound.

Turning, Tauriel shot an arrow into the spider holding the dwarf, knowing full well that one arrow may not be enough if her aim was not perfectly true. The dwarf snapped around in surprise, but she did not see its face.

Preparing to shoot another one, Tauriel watched as the beast sank down, lifeless.

Another spider came scuttling up behind her, and Tauriel spun once more, blocking the snapping jaws as she tried to finish off the spider.

A voice cut through the daze, and some part of her knew it was the dwarf.

"Throw me a dagger! _Quick_!" it-he?-called, a note of panic in his voice.

Tauriel spoke, her voice strong. "If you think I'm giving you a weapon, dwarf, you're mistaken!" She finished off the spider, and then, halfway turning, sent her dagger whistling through the air.

It met its mark, sinking hilt-deep into the beast's eyes.

The spider screeched, then sank down, lifeless.

Tauriel turned fully, a half-smile on her face as she looked at the lifeless spiders around her, and then at the dwarf, who took one last look at the spider and stared at her in...shock? She did not know.

Tauriel turned the dwarf over to another guard, and went to retrieve her weapons.

* * *

"Search them," Legolas called out, the little pack of dwarves huddled together, surrounded by guards.

Choosing one to search himself, Legolas started searching for any sort of weapon. Reaching inside the fat dwarf's coat-if it could even be called that anymore, he thought contempously-and drew out a small, flat silver box.

"_B'ey_!" the dwarf growled, "give it back! That's _private_!"

Legolas finished opening it, only to find that it contained two crudely drawn pictures.

"Who is this?" he asked, disgust dripping off his voice. "Your brother?"

"That is my _wife_!" the dwarf spat furiously.

Turning it slightly, Legolas eyed the other picture. "And what is this horrid creature?" he asked, wanting to cut deep. "A Goblin-mutant?"

The dwarf's tone of voice changed, softening slightly. "That's my wee lad, Gimli."

Legolas merely looked at him, then raised an eyebrow.

As other guards continued to search, Legolas turned to Tauriel. "Are the spiders dead?" he demanded, making sure to speak in Elvish.

"Yes, but more will come," Tauriel replied, eyes on the dwarves.

Legolas frowned slightly, confusion written on his face. This was his first mission in many months, and he was not as familiar with the spiders as Tauriel and many of the other guards were.

Tauriel dragged her eyes off of the prisoners. "They're growing bolder," she explained, voice low.

Several minutes later, Tauriel had disappeared again and another guard was presenting him with a sword.

Legolas looked it over with something akin to awe. "This is an ancient Elvish blade," he said, in Elvish. He lifted it, voice rising. "Forged by my kin." Contempt towards the dwarves flooded him, and he lowered it towards the apparent leader. "Where did you get this?" he demanded in the common tongue.

"It was given to me," the dwarf answered, voice low and rough. It was all Legolas could do not to send an arrow flying into him right then and there.

Legolas looked at the dwarf, then spun the sword around, lowering it before the dwarf's throat.

"Not just a thief, but a liar as well," he said in a low voice dripping with contempt.

He held the sword there for barely a second more, then flung it aside with a ring of metal and shouted an order.

Tauriel slipped up beside him, but he ignored her. Her heart was far to soft to deal with these..._criminals_.

The guards started to push the prisoners towards home.

* * *

As he and Tauriel followed the rest of the group through the gates, Legolas called out for them to close the gates.

Tauriel looked back, her eyes hardening. As Captain, that was her job.

Once again, Legolas ignored her. Waiting until she had passed through, he started to follow her-and stopped.

Something was there, he could feel it. But looking back behind him, there was nothing.

Chilled, Legolas lengthened his stride as the gates shut behind him.

His father was waiting for a report.

* * *

"_Well_?" the Elvenking demanded eyes on his son.

Legolas gave him a cursory bow. "The dwarves have come, _Ada_," he said. "It is as Lord Elrond said. His messenger gave us fair warning."

Thranduil froze. "And?" he spat.

Legolas gave him more information. "There are only thirteen, and we were not able to find any wizard what-so-ever." He did not add that none of them were keen to look for a wizard, they had done nothing more than scan the area quickly.

The Elvenking sighed. "So it has begun," he murmured to himself.

"Excuse me, father?" Legolas asked in confusion.

"What?" he snapped.

"I-I merely was wondering what it was you said," Legolas stammered. Even after all these years, he was still slightly intimidated by his father.

"It is none of your concern," Thranduil replied, voice softer than before.

"Of course, _Ada_," Legolas said, dipping his head again and taking his leave.

His father stopped him as he mounted the stairs.

"What of Tauriel?" he asked both curiosity and apprehension causing him to ask the question.

Legolas turned back, and his face had softened at the mention of Tauriel. Thranduil's eyes roved shrewdly over his face, and there was an answer to his question there.

"What do you mean?" Legolas asked carefully.

"Exactly what I said," Thranduil said with annoyance. "What of Tauriel? Did she fight well?"

Legolas's eyes were bright. "Very well," he confirmed. "I did not have a chance to watch her, but she must have slain at least thirty spiders."

"And how did she handle the dwarves?" Thranduil asked calmly.

Legolas hesitated. "She did not handle them," he finally replied. "I took care of them for her."

"Why?" Thranduil demanded.

Once again, he paused, fighting to find a good answer. "She does not have the heart to deal with them," Legolas said.

"What does that mean?"

"She is young," Legolas continued. "She is compassionate, overly so. She risked her life to save one of them today."

Thranduil's eyes widened. He had placed so much trust in this young elf, and if she failed to perform his own hopes would be crushed. Tauriel could not fully understand the dwarves and their quest, or she would not have done what she had.

"How old is she?" he finally asked.

Legolas's expression shifted from his blank mask to surprise, then shock, and back again.

"You mean you do not know?" he exclaimed.

"Yes," Thranduil snapped, then realized that his answer was confusing. "I do not know," he clarified.

Legolas's eyes widened slightly.

Thranduil look at him, and irritation shot through him. "I am the Elvenking," he reminded his son in a low voice. "I have many things on my mind."

"I - of course, my lord," Legolas said firmly. "She is roughly six hundred and twenty years old."

Surprised that Legolas could so precisely name Tauriel's age, something that he himself could not do, Thranduil once again searched his son's face.

What he found there sent chills racing down his spine.

_He loved her._

She was a Silvan.

And even if Legolas was not yet aware of his feelings toward the Captain, sooner or later they would surface in full force.

"She is quite pretty," Thranduil said after a long pause.

"Indeed," his son agreed amiably.

"Her hair and eyes are quite unusual," he continued.

Legolas shook his head slightly. "They run in her family line. Or so she tells me."

_They run in her family line._ Suddenly, Thranduil felt sick to his stomach, fear for his son his dominant emotion.

He would not stand by and watch Legolas's heart be broken as his had almost been by Audriel. This...this _sickness_ that ran in her blood would not taint his own son. So many of her ancestors had betrayed him, it had taken an enormous amount of willpower to look past what others had done, and look at what Tauriel herself had accomplished.

_Audriel._

_Gyldyril._

_Laergulel._

His head pounded.

"When the Captain has finished with the prisoners," Thranduil finally said, his voice strong, "tell her that I am waiting."

Legolas bowed and exited.

Thranduil, however, stayed, head ringing with words spoken long ago, his heart aching, stinging with emotions as three words repeated themselves over and over.

_Audriel._

_Gyldyril._

_Laergulel._

And finally, he unconsciously added a fourth.

_Tauriel._

* * *

Tauriel, shoving her prisoners into their cells, did not know.

She did not know that this was the beginning.

The beginning of her fall.

* * *

**Next chapter, we have the famous "do not give him hope where there is none" scene! I'll do my best to update within a week!**

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	5. Elvenking

**Chapter five! Yet another shorter one, unfortunately. Thank you, reviewers, followers and faves! Your support means the world to me.**

**Also, just a heads-up: I will not be updating as frequently due to my life being insane right now. I will try and make up for it with nice, long chapters though :)**

**Also, for those of you who might be interested, I have started another fic about Tauriel. It is set after the LotR.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Tauriel led one of the dwarves down the steps, opening the heavy metal doors and forcing him to step inside. She could hear the protests of the other prisoners as they tried to fight her guards.

The dwarf she was dealing with, however, had presented no fight at all. Somehow, she knew he was the one she had saved from the spiders.

"Aren't you going to search me?" he suddenly asked, forcing Tauriel out of her reverie.

Tauriel looked down at him, digging for a stinging insult.

"I could have anything down my trousers," the dwarf continued.

For one brief second, Tauriel wanted to laugh. A heartbeat later, though, the impulse was gone, and she had her answer.

"Or nothing," she replied, raising her eyebrows as she closed the door.

Tauriel looked at him for a second longer, then strode away. She could feel eyes on her back.

As she mounted the final steps, Legolas stopped her.

"Why does the dwarf stare at you, Tauriel?" he demanded.

Tauriel looked at him sharply. "Who can say?" she asked, matching his question with one of her own. She lowered her eyes, searching for a remark as payback for what Legolas had done earlier. Remembering his past jealousy, she said, "He is quite tall for a dwarf."

Her eyes flashed to Legolas's face and back down, searching for any reaction.

There was none, so she continued. "Don't you think?" She continued on her way.

"Taller than some," Legolas called after her, "but no less ugly."

Tauriel allowed herself a grim smile as she made her way to the Elvenking's chambers.

Legolas, however, stayed, watching the dwarf who was obviously trying to gain Tauriel's attention.

The dwarf glared at him.

Legolas narrowed his eyes.

That particular prisoner would do with watching.

* * *

Tauriel made her way down the maze of stairs, arches and pathways until she had reached the Elvenking's chambers. She knew that he had tried to interrogate the leader of the dwarves, but had had no success. She expected him to be in a bad temper, and was steeling her temper.

"I know you're there," she heard him say. "Why do you linger in the shadows?"

"I was coming to report to you," Tauriel said.

Stepping down the final steps, she gave him a small bow, half listening as he spoke.

"I thought I ordered that nest to be destroyed not two moons past," Thranduil said, and she repressed a sigh of annoyance.

It was always like this. He would give her an order, she would follow it, and then, sometimes only days later, he would be demanding why she had not done it.

They were forever going in circles.

She looked at him for half a second, then started pacing. "We cleared the forest as ordered, my lord. But more spiders keep coming up from the South. They are spawning in the ruins of Dol Guldur." She paused, about to ask the question she had been asking for years now. "If we could kill them at their source..." She stopped again, already knowing the answer.

Thranduil looked at her, eyes cold. "That fortress lies beyond our borders. Keep our lands clear of those foul creatures, that is your task." His voice rose as he spoke, and Tauriel could feel anger rolling off of him in waves.

She ignored it, trying once again to drive her point home. "And when we drive them off, what then? Will they not spread to other lands?"

"Other lands are not my concern," Thranduil said in a low voice. "The fortunes off the world will rise and fall, but here in this kingdom we will endure." He stopped, and looked to the side. Like his son, Thranduil could feel something. His eyes roved, but there was nothing.

Tauriel bowed her head again, spinning on her heels. There was nothing left for her to do. She had tried.

Dragging his attention away from the pathway, Thranduil stopped her.

"Legolas said you fought well today," he said.

Tauriel stopped again, head still lowered. An emotion she could not place flooded her, and she smiled slightly. To hear this, from the mouth of the Elvenking, meant that she truly had fought well.

Thranduil dipped his chin, a half-smile playing on his lips. "He has grown very fond of you."

Tauriel's eyes widened in shock, shock at what he was implying, and perhaps a little bit of fear as well. Her hand went unconsciously to her side, but there was no dagger there.

Groping for an answer, Tauriel's voice quavered as she finally replied.

"I-I assure you, my lord, Legolas thinks of me as nothing more than a Captain of the Guard." But deep down, she admitted to herself that over time his actions towards her had changed. She prayed that the Elvenking would not sense that.

"Perhaps he did once," Thranduil said in a low voice. "Now, I am not so sure."

Once again, Tauriel was left grasping for words.

She did not understand, and when she did not understand she asked questions. "I do not think that you would allow your son to pledge himself to a lowly Silvan elf," she said, words halting.

"No, you are right, I would not." Thranduil's words were harsh, and they struck home.

This was as bad as when she had been young, teased because of her flaming hair and her Silvan blood.

She had wanted him to say that he would have made an exception, anything but the brutal truth: She was not of Sindarin blood, and because of that he would write her off without a second glance.

_I do not care,_ she told herself. But she did. For some strange reason, she found she did care.

"Still, he cares about you," Thranduil conceded. She heard a slight movement of fabric, and knew that he was likely looking at her now. "Do not give him hope where there is none."

Tauriel raised her head, and swallowed. She would not. She did not want to.

* * *

Awake that night, Tauriel played with her dagger. The metal was razor sharp on one edge, freshly sharpened, and she was careful.

Thoughts of the dwarves flooded her mind as she started at the weapon in her hands.

Something told her that what Legolas had told her was far from the truth. That there was more to the story.

Gyldyril's words. They played in her head, spinning webs like the spiders she loathed so much.

_You are falling into the same trap I did._

Tauriel laid the weapon aside, sheathing it._ If only I knew more_, she thought. _I have been so alone my whole life, I know almost nothing about many of my ancestors._

_Power leads to your inevitable fall._

She shivered. Gyldyril's words were coming far too close to what Lord Elrond had told her for her taste.

_They say I did. They say I loved her...they say I loved him, too..._

Loved who? Who was she?

_She was...like _you_._

Audriel? Or someone else, some other ancestor that had been woven into her past by Gyldyril's actions?

_I can't remember!_

_Remember what?_ Tauriel asked herself desperately.

She had run Gyldyril's words through her head so many times, now. Each time, she had drawn nothing but a blank.

Thranduil's order.

_At least_, she told herself,_ I can understand that. His message was very, very clear._

* * *

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**'Till next chapter!**


	6. Blood

**Finally, an update! Thanks, y'all!**

* * *

Laergulel stared at her raw and bloodied hands, eyes clouded over.

She no longer felt any real pain.

It had faded as more time passed, going from burning agony to a dull ache, constantly there and always throbbing.

She had but a few days left. She could feel her life force fading, and her one wish was to warn the girl.

She gripped the bars of her cage, shifting her gaze from her hands to the very heart of Dol Guldor.

Shivers shook her emaciated frame, desperation her only nourishment.

Laergulel scraped at the dried blood covering one side of her face, wincing as the six-inch cut on one side of her scalp and cheekbone was re-opened. Blood soon flowed freely down her face and neck, and the old elf's head spun.

_I have lost so much blood_, she thought vaguely. _I cannot hold on much longer._

Glazed eyes rolled back in her head as she sank to the floor of her cramped cage. Panic, always there, had broken through her meager walls and was now flooding her, an unstoppable wave.

A scream tore from her throat, shredding the barely-healed skin like her clothing had shredded long ago.

Blood streamed into her mouth, salty and metallic. So desperate was she for any liquid that she swallowed it eagerly.

She crouched down, again crying out hoarsely as her broken ribs pressed against her skin.

Slowly, as consciousness fled, she heard the snarls of the Wargs as they fought. _Soon_, she thought, _I will be their food_.

Darkness over-took her.

* * *

_"I am dying."_

_The words echoed through the air, and Tauriel turned._

_Everything was different. She was in a clearing, surrounded by green grass and thriving trees and shrubs._

_Something told her that this was the Greenwood when it had been healthy._

_Someone stepped forward, and Tauriel took several steps back, reaching for where her weapons would be._

_There was nothing._

_"It is but a dream," the figure said, and on the long brown cloak there was a darker stain._

_"What do you want?" Tauriel cried, something about the person in front of her unnerving her. Her whole body was tensed, coiled like a snake about to strike._

_"I come to warn you," the figure said, and pulled back the hood of the cloak._

_Tauriel smothered a scream as she took in the elf's face, broken and bruised, but yet teribly, heartbreakingly beautiful. Red hair, ragged and matted, spread across her shoulders, and the deep-__set green eyes were ones that looked back at her in the mirror each day._

_"They are rising," the elf said, urgency lacing her words. "They are coming, and darkness will rise again. _He is not gone_!"_

_Panic threatened to take control, and Tauriel gasped a question._

_The elf paid her no attention. "They are coming!" she repeated. "You are falling even now. Your kin have always done so, and you will be no different. Shield yourself!"_

_"What are you saying?" Tauriel cried out in confusion._

_The elf stepped forward, close enough that Tauriel could see every bruise flowering across her skin. Blood streamed across her face. _

_"You will fall," the elf hissed. "To save everything, you must __sacrifice all. I fell, and I never rose again. I pray you will rise from the ashes of the past. They will have need of you." She stepped back again, and now her face was fading. "I have fulfilled my final_  
_wish."_

_"Wait!" Tauriel gasped. "Who are you?"_

_Darkness swirled around the figure, obscuring her view. "I am known by all as a traitor." She faded even more. "Remember, and beware. Even those who you trust may turn against you." The __words were barely a whisper, broken with pain and longing._

_She was gone, and suddenly the forest burst into flames._

_Tauriel cried out as fire eveloped her, the crackle and pop of burning wood filling her ears._

* * *

Tauriel woke up screaming in pure terror, the sweat on her brow icy. Her whole body was shaking.

Slowly, she calmed. Her dream was distant now, barely a memory. But her heart was aching, the scab over her longing torn off along with the last little bits of her serenity. Now, blood ran freely in her soul.

Someone was pounding on the door.

Trembling, Tauriel rolled off her bed, narrowly avoiding her dagger lying on the floor. I must have dropped it when I fell asleep, she thought.

Wearily, Tauriel made her way over to the door. Elves did not require much sleep, but she felt as if she could lay down and sleep for several weeks.

"_What_?" she said coldly, opening it and seeing Legolas standing on the other side.

His gaze swept over her, taking in everything. "You were screaming."

Shocked that she could be heard through the stone, Tauriel shook her head. "All is well. It was but a dream."

"I do not believe you," Legolas said stubbornly.

"I know you do not, and I do not care," Tauriel said impatiently. "What is it? Surely you did not come all this way for nothing." Her tone was rough.

Legolas blinked. "I came to appologize."

"_What_?"

"I am sorry for what I did," he continued. "I had no right."

Tauriel shook her head slowly, surprised. "_I_...thank you." She turned, leaving the door open.

Legolas followed her into the room, uninvited. Tauriel looked at him sharply as he did so, then dismissed it.

"What is this?" Legolas asked, lifting one of her daggers off the bed.

Tauriel stiffened. "Those are my daggers," she answered icily. "I was sharpening them." She did not add that she had fallen asleep while doing so. The fact was both humiliating and worrying.

Legolas spun the dagger on his palm, and Tauriel's eyes followed the movements. Finally, she could take no more and stepped forward to claim the weapon from him.

"If you please," she said stiffly.

Legolas looked at her oddly, then shook his head. "You are tired," he said, moving closer to touch her shoulder. "I am sorry that I woke you."

Tauriel shuddered against her will, backing away. Recollection of her dream came rushing back, and she swallowed. "You did not wake me," she whispered. To herself, she added, _But I am glad you did_.

Legolas glanced at the dagger on her hand, looked at its twin still lying on the bed, and put the pieces together. "You fell asleep!" His tone was shocked.

Tauriel's face hardened. She wanted to deny it, but she could not bring herself to lie to her longtime friend. Biting her tongue, Tauriel sat on her bed.

Legolas sat down as well.

Tauriel opened her mouth to say a scathing comment, but promptly shut it. She did not have the energy to fight with him. Not now.

"What are you doing?" she asked wearily.

Legolas flashed her a grin. "Sitting down."

Tauriel rubbed her eyes. "_Obviously_. Anything else?"

He pursed his lips. "Perhaps I am worried that you are not getting sufficent rest."

Tauriel sat bolt upright, annoyance replacing her exhaustion. "Now, listen here, I will rest when I want to and not before," she snapped. _And I dearly want to sleep now_. "So do not tell me what to do!"

Legolas eyed her with a hint of surprise in his eyes. "Perhaps you are not as tired as I thought." He grinned again. "But then, you have energy for arguing at any time."

Tauriel muttered something in Elvish under her breath, and Legolas opened his mouth to argue. She cut him off. "Go away," she said crossly. "Yes, I'm tired, but I cannot sleep when _someone is talking_." She glared at him.

"Very well." He stood.

Tauriel gave a short sigh, watching Legolas as he moved towards the door . She tried to fight her exhaustion, eyelids fluttering, but within seconds sleep had overtaken her.

Legolas stood for several seconds, watching Tauriel as she slept. Her red hair pooled around her, and she was still clutching the hilt of her dagger. For one second, Legolas had an urge to brush a loose strand behind her ear.

He shook his head. _Perhaps I am in need of rest as well_, he thought.

* * *

Lord Elrond stared sightlessly out of a window.

"She is going to fail," Arwen insisted from behind him. "Have you not seen it?"

Elrond turned and glared at his daughter. "I will not stop the chain of events that have started already. She made her choice. I cannot say if it was right or wrong, not yet."

Arwen opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. Color spread over her pale skin. She would not reveal Tauriel's secret. "_Ada_...I cannot believe she has turned her back on this fight."

"She has," Lord Elrond said bitterly. "Thranduil has confirmed it."

All color was washed from Arwen's skin as she closed her eyes in mingled shock and horror. She couldn't-wouldn't-believe that, after so much, Tauriel had given up.

_She is strong_, Arwen thought. _Surely, she has hope left_.

She bowed her head.

_It is spreading. With every day she stands and accepts the evil in that land, she is ruining herself. I pray she will make a better choice. It could save us all._

* * *

**Also, what do you feel my biggest fault as a writer is? I would love to hear your opinions, good or bad!**

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	7. Escape

**I'm sorry it took me so long to update! I have received several reviews asking about longer chapters-I will do my best to make them longer.**

**The next chapter will probably be up in about two weeks.**

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* * *

Tauriel sighed bitterly as sounds of laughter filled the air around her. She would not-could not-take this any longer.

Glancing around, she saw that, as usual, no one was paying attention to her.

Another sighed escaped her, but this time it was of relief.

She slipped out, making her way down to the dungeons. She wanted to question the dwarves, and there would be no better time than now, when everyone was at the feast.

As Tauriel passed the many doors and wondered exactly who they were, she thought about what she was going to ask the dwarf that appeared to be their leader.

One of the dwarves bared his teeth at her as she passed.

Tauriel ignored him.

As she was about to pass yet another door, she noticed that the dark-haired dwarf inside was playing with a small stone.

Tauriel stopped. "The stone in your hand, she demanded clearly, "what is it?"

"It is a talisman," the dwarf answered, his voice rough.

Tauriel took a half step forward, a question flitting iin her eyes.

"A powerfull spell lies upon it," the dwarf said, his gaze burning onto hers. He glanced away again, looking at the stone. "If any but a dwarf reads the runes on this stone, they will be forever cursed." He held the stone up.

Tauriel drew back slightly, more than a little annoyed at herself for doing so. She looked icily at the dwarf for another heartbeat, then prepared to move on.

"Or not," the dwarf said suddenly.

Tauriel stopped, surprised. She did not think a dwarf would deign to speak to an elf any longer than possible.

"Depending on whether you believe in that kind of thing," the dwarf said quickly. "It's just a token." He held it up again, chuckling nervously.

Tauriel watched him, a smile playing on her lips. The dwarf met her gaze nervously, then glanced away again.

"A rune stone," he said in a low voice. "My mother gave it to me so I'd remember my promise." His voice had a hint of emotion in it, and Tauriel found that she wanted to know more about this dark haired archer.

"What promise?" she said, her first words since she had first spoken.

Dark eyes met hers. "That I would come back to her."

Tauriel smiled, dropping her gaze as saddness tugged at her. She would have sacrificed almost anything to know her own mother. She swallowed as her throat grew tight, and compassion for this dwarf welled up inside her.

"She worries," he continued. "She thinks I'm reckless."

Tauriel smiled again, surprised at herself. "Are you?" she asked in a low voice.

The dwarf shook his head as he tossed the stone high once more. "_Nah_." As he reached for it, his fingers missed their mark and the stone went tumbling down onto the rocks beneath Tauriel's feet.

Quickly, Tauriel spun and stopped the rolling stone with her boot. She heard a rustle of movement behind her as she bent, picking it up carefully. As she held it up to the light, a burst of laughter floated down to them.

"Sounds like quite a party you're having up there," the dwarf murmured, his words an unspoken question.

"It is _Mereth e-n Gilith_," Tauriel answered, her voice reverent. "The Feast of Starlight." She paced along the pathway, annoyance that this particular feast was so loud filtering through into her actions. "All light is sacred to the Eldar," she continued, "but Wood Elves love best the light of the stars." She did not add that, these days, many were lucky if they ever got a glimpse of them. It had been much time since the Elvenking had feasted out in the woodland.

"I always thought it is a cold light," the dwarf said from behind her, face pressed to the bars.

Tauriel turned, slowly, shocked.

"Remote, and far away," he continued, voice low and soft. His dark eyes stared out into space.

Tauriel turned around fully, taking two quick strides towards him. "It is memory," she said, her own voice calm even though annoyance was shooting through her veins like fire at this dwarf's nonsense. "Precious and pure." She kept her voice low, but her vehmence bled through. She could see the dwarf's eyes darting, and knew that her point had been made. She smiled, trying to soften her words, rolling the stone in her hand as she glanced down at it. "Like your promise." She held her hand out, palm facing upward.

The dwarf glanced at her in disbeleif for a moment, but took it from her all the same. Tauriel found herself wanting to tell him more, needed to release some of the building emotions inside her. She half-turned, eyes searching, then glanced back down at him.

"I have walked there sometimes," she whispered. "Beyond the forest and up into the night." She turned away, fearing the expression she knew was playing across her face. "I have seen the world fall away...and the white light of forever fill the air." Her voice was soft, so low that she was afraid the dwarf could not hear her, and tears glittered in the corners of her eyes.

"I saw a fire moon once," the dwarf said.

Tauriel blinked twice, and turned back to him.

"It rose over the pass near Dunland. Huge. Red and gold, it was. It filled the sky."

Tauriel frowned slightly, her quest for information fresh in her mind as she slowly lowered herself onto the stone steps.

"We were an escort for some merchants from Ered Luin. They were trading in silverwork for furs. We took the Greenway south, keeping the mountain to our left. And then it appeared. This huge fire moon, lighting our path..."

Tauriel leaned slightly to the side, smiling. Prisoner this dwarf might be, but she knew she had found a friend.

* * *

Far above them, face stern, Legolas stared down at the dwarf as he spoke, anger boiling in him

_Tauriel does not yet understand_, he told himself. _I must protect her from that._

Deep down, he knew there was another reason.

* * *

Days later, Tauriel turned with a start at a startled guard's yell.

Second later, he rushed up to her, panting. "_They are gone_!" the elf gasped, clutching his side. "Gone, without a trace."

Tauriel flung herself forward, rage pouring through her. Leniyaen.

"_Where_ is the Keeper of the Keys!" she shouted, moving quickly down the stone paths.

_ They are gone_, she thought. _Gone, and with them every scrap of leverage over the Elvenking I have_.

"Follow me," she spat out at the small group of guards gathering behind her as she dashed headlong for the wine-cellar.

_He was supposed to be making sure the wine barrels go through_, she thought. _Good Eru, let him be there! I will remove him from service so fast..._

Her vengeful thoughts did nothing to quench her anger.

Within seconds, she had arrived at the wine cellar, and as she threw herself down the final steps.

Just in time to hear a faint cry, and to see the board swing back into place.

Tauriel stared at it for barely a second longer, then snapped a string of orders to the guards behind her. "Alert those guarding the gate! Mobilize a troop of guards to follow me. Legolas, come with me!" She swung around and started running for the many smaller gates and pathways hidden along the river.

Legolas stared down at the giant board for several heartbeats, jaw clenched. Finally, he turned to follow Tauriel.

* * *

"Shut the gate!" Legolas snapped roughly to the guard behind him. The elf promptly lifted a horn to his lips and blew a long, clear note.

As Tauriel heard it ring down the river, a sense of calm settled over her. There was still a chance.

* * *

At the gates, those guarding them drew their swords in one clean, smooth motion.

And then the arrows came whistling down, and Orcs started flooding over them. Within seconds, the heavy silence had been filled with yells and snarls.

Bolg watched as one of the dwarves made a desperate lunge for the lever controlling the gates. Drawing his bow, Bolg swung an arrow up onto it and aimed quickly. As long as it hit the dwarf, he did not care. The disgusting creature would die either way, but he wanted to be sure.

The arrow hissed through the air, and met its mark

Kili stopped, felt the pain spreading across his leg.

He swayed.

"_Kili_!" Fili shouted.

He grabbed for the lever desperately.

And as his fingers slipped, he fell backward.

* * *

Tauriel fairly flew down the stone pathways, checking her weapons as she did so.

Soon faint cries were filtering towards her. Then she saw the bodies, Orc and elf alike, floating in the river and on the ground.

Finally, after so much time, the Orcs had dared to take the final step. They were in Mirkwood.

Tauriel unslung her bow, and with one fluid motion spun an arrow up to it, ready to be shot within a moment's notice.

She saw an Orc, lunging towards something. She did not know if it was a dwarf or one of her guards, but either way it must die.

She released the arrow, satisfied when she saw the disgusting creature drop to the ground.

Taking the final steps, Tauriel took in everything in one glance.

Dwarves, in barrels, underneath the bridge. Another dwarf, likely injured, on the bridge itself.

And everywhere, _Orcs_.

Quickly, she drew an arrow and aimed for an Orc shuffling down the stone steps. Releasing it, she drew her long dagger and lunged for another Orc, decapacitating it with a growl of anger. The big Orc was shouting something, and somehow Tauriel knew that they were orders to kill.

To kill her.

Orcs pounded towards her, and for the first time a thread of worry wormed its way into her heart. She could not take so many alone.

* * *

Legolas gestured for the guards behind them to ready their weapons, and as he ducked through the bushes he nocked an arrow. As an Orc passed directly through his line of vison, he shot the arrow, grim satisfaction flooding him when he saw the creature stumble and fall.

_Tauriel_, he thought. _I must find her._

* * *

Tauriel spun as yet another Orc confronted her, hair flowing behind her like a red wave. Baring her teeth, she sliced through the creature's skin like paper with a growl of disgust and swung around to face another. Quickly dispatching it, Tauriel watched in horror as the dwarf made a desperate lunge for the lever.

And suceeded.

* * *

**As always, reviews are very much appreciated!**

**Until the next chapter!**


	8. Leave It Behind

**Sooo, chapter eight. As always, thank y'all for your support!**

**Also, for those of you who have been reading Memory, that fic has now been completed. Hopefully, the sequel will be up soon!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Tauriel stared.

Shock. Anger. Disgust. Disbelief.

They were all options.

Unfortunately, ignoring the Orcs currently trying to kill her was not one of them.

* * *

Stomping down the path, Tauriel spotted Leniyaen.

Every part of her screamed to finish the job then and there, but she knew that to do so would be seen as both treason and murder.

Baring her teeth, she grabbed the elf by the collar and flung him up against a stone wall.

Leniyaen yelped, struggling to free himself.

"You thought it was over?" Tauriel hissed.

"I-I...," the elf stammered desperately.

"You thought you could do whatever you wished?" she spat. "Getting drunk on duty!" Her fist tightened, and as airflow was slowly cut off, Leniyaen's face paled. "Do you know what happened because of you and your foolish, _foolish_ actions?" She released him, and he gasped for air.

Tauriel spun him around to face the now empty cells.

Leniyaen stared for half a second, and then slumped down to the floor.

Tauriel stared at the elf, disgusted, then swung around and faced the small crowd of guards staring at her.

"What?" she barked.

Most promptly bowed or saluted, and a few brave souls dared to meet her gaze.

Tauriel bit back a hiss of annoyance, and stomped away.

* * *

"You were tracking the company of thirteen dwarves," Legolas said coldly. "Why?"

"Not thirteen," the Orc rasped. "Not anymore."

Tauriel tensed, her senses on high alert. Her whole body was humming with suppressed energy.

"The young one. A black haired archer," the disgusting creature sneered. "Stuck him with a Morgul shaft. Poisons in his blood. He'll be choking on it soon." The Orc leered at her.

"Answer the question, filth," Tauriel said clearly, her voice icy. Inwardly, she was screaming with rage, sympathy, and fear.

_I will not let him die_, she promised herself. _I will not let another become victim to their poisons._

The Orc lunged forward, snarling something in Black speech.

Tauriel had no doubt it was something highly insulting.

Wrenching the Orc back, Legolas put more pressure on the blade on the Orc's neck. "I would not antagonize her," Legolas said darkly, perhaps remembering the many times he had been victim to Tauriel's frustration.

Tauriel's mind was howling for her to kill the Orc. To slaughter the horrible creature and run, run, run.

She tried to keep a handle on her temper, but finally she gave the fight up.

"You like killing, Orc?" she asked in a dangerous tone. With a flip of her hand, she drew one of her daggers. The ring of Elvish steel rang out, and Thranduil tensed noticeably. "You like death?" Eyes drilled holes in her, but she ignored them. She was done. Done with hiding, done with letting Thranduil make her decisions for her. In a split second decision, she made her choice. Her voice rose higher with anger. "Well then let me give it to you!"

Lunging forward, Tauriel was fully prepared to part the Orc's head from his body in one quick move.

The world faded, and all she could see was the Orc. A split second before the prisoner would have been dead, a voice broke through.

"Enough, Tauriel!" Thranduil barked. "Go now."

Slowly, grudgingly, Tauriel lowered the blade and stepped backward.

Grey eyes burned with silent rage as she met them. Tauriel knew that Thranduil was furious, and was more than a little annoyed herself that he had prevented her from slaying the creature in front of her.

Tauriel hissed slightly through clenched teeth. Slowly, she regained control of herself.

Bitterly, she sheathed her dagger. Options swirled in her mind.

Defy the Elvenking.

Leave.

Apologize and return to her duties.

And, most tantalizing, go after the dwarves and try and help the archer, the one she had saved before.

Nodding slightly, she turned and half-ran towards the gates. Her boots slapped the floor in a steady beat, and the sound was forever memorized.

"I do not care about one dead dwarf," she heard Thranduil say. "Answer the question." His voice was as cold as he could possible make it.

Tauriel gritted her teeth and moved on.

She stopped several strides from the gates.

Apprehension flooded her, and for a heartbeat she faltered.

She knew full-well what would likely be her fate if she openly and completely defied Thranduil. With a shock, she realized that this was what her ancestors had done.

_I am walking down the same path_, she thought, horrified. _I am falling. I am already gone..._

Bowing her head, Tauriel worked desperately to keep panic from overtaking her.

_You will fall. I pray you wil rise again._

She failed miserably.

_Flames, enveloping her completely. Everything was burning, burning. Ashes. Smoke. Heat._

Slowly, she looked up again.

_I can fall no further_, she reasoned. _And if I can help the dwarves, perhaps this disaster will be avoided._

Tauriel lunged forward towards the gates, rushing to complete this action that would forever ruin any chances of her favor being restored with the Elvenking.

Within seconds, she was through.

_I am free._

* * *

Legolas glanced backward once, worry for Tauriel tinging his thoughts. A snarl by the Orc forced him to tear his attention away from her.

"You had orders to kill. Why?" Legolas demanded. "And what is Thorin Oakenshield to you?"

"A dwarf rat," the Orc growled. "He will never be king."

"King?" Legolas snapped. "There is no king under the mountain, nor will there ever be. None would dare enter Erebor whilst the dragon lives."

"_You know nothing!"_

Legolas frowned slightly, instantly regretting it.

"The world will _burn_," the creature hissed.

Sliding the dagger harder against the Orc's skin, Legolas braced himself against its body. "What are you talking about? Speak!"

"Our time has come again... My master serves _the One_. Do you understand now, _elfling_? Death is upon you! The flames of war are upon you!" A horrible cackle filled the air for half a second.

There was a hiss of steel, and suddenly he was holding the Orc's head.

"Why did you do that?" Legolas let the head drop to the ground with a thud. "You promised to set him free."

Thranduil was silent for several seconds.

"And I did," he finally said. "I freed his wretched head from his miserable shoulders." He walked around to stand by Legolas, slamming his boot down onto the Orc's quivering body. It crunched.

"There was more the Orc could tell us," Legolas insisted, staring down at the body. He looked up at his father, expecting an answer.

"There was nothing more he could tell me," Thranduil said firmly. He spun, sheathing his blade with a ring of steel.

"What did he mean by the flames of war?" Legolas called after him, turning to follow.

"It means they intend to unleash a weapon so great it will destroy all but the Orcs." His voice was thoughtful, tinged with worry. He spun, voice rising. "I want the watch doubled on all borders! All roads, all rivers. Nothing moves but I hear of it. No one enters this kingdom. _And no one leaves it."_

* * *

"Close the gate!" Legolas called out, making his way towards the elves currently guarding it. "Keep it sealed by the order of the King."

"What of Tauriel, my lord?" someone asked.

He stopped.

"What of her?"

"She went into the forest armed with her bow and daggers," they called back.

Legolas froze. His heart was pounding in his chest, and suddenly everything was too loud.

_Tauriel,_ he thought. She's gone. _And I know why. That dwarf! _he hissed to himself._ That Valar-cursed dwarf, the one that got shot. She went to him_.

Jealousy and anger flooded him, and he surpressed a growl. Clenching his jaw, Legolas turned.

Slowly, he walked out into the woodland that had once been green and alive. Now, it was dark and ruined-much, it seemed, like his relationship with Tauriel. Once, she had respected him. Once, she had been alive. Now, everything had been ruined.

_Corrupted._

As he left his father's halls behind, Legolas knew he was risking everything.

_But_, he told himself,_ I cannot leave her to fight alone._

_I will not._

* * *

**The next chapter is a really important one, but unfortunately I don't know when it will be up. More reviews will mean a faster update, though ;)**


	9. Broken

**Chapter nine! Pay attention too Tauriel's memory, and what Gyldyril says. ;) It's very important to the storyline.**

**Thank you, reviewers, followers and faves! Sol3Bug, I know, I'm horrible... :P TinkStar87, next chapter we have some nice Legolas/Tauriel fluff, hopefully!**

**Please forgive any typos, grammar mistakes and misspellings. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Tauriel moved her feet and legs automatically; head spinning as she fully recognized what she had done.

_I did not think_, she thought desperately. _I did not know. I reacted impulsively. I failed my duty!_

Stumbling, she almost pitched herself headlong into the river.

_It is done,_ she told herself grimly. _Nothing I say or do can change that._

* * *

In Lorien, Lady Galadriel was worried.

Lord Elrond had sent a bitter, harsh message to her. It was terse to the point of rudeness. When asking why he was so upset, she had discovered that one of Seena's daughters still lived.

_Seena._

She played with the name in her head, multiple memories of the elleth brought to the surface.

Sighing, the Lady of Lorien spun, her gown flowing behind her, glittering white in the darkness.

Seena's children were special. There was no doubt about that. The problem was, Seena was no longer alive to hold the bitterness that chased her family in check.

Thoughtfully, Lady Galadriel tipped her head to one side.

_I wonder..._ she mused.

* * *

Thranduil was furious. She had left. Just left, defied him. Abandoned all sense of duty and honor. And Gyldyril... Poison, corrupting, evil. Dark as the night itself. It must be eliminated.

"Bring me the prisoner," he finally raged.

The servant stammered an unintelligible answer, and Thranduil eyed him dangerously.

"_Now_," he hissed.

"I-I...of course, m-my lord..." The elf bowed, shaking, and fairly ran from the room.

* * *

Tauriel dodged a pile of bones, her stomach roiling as she eyed the piles of putrid flesh and clotted blood.

The Orcs were moving down the river, following the dwarves as best they could. That she was sure of. But what of the dwarves themselves? What of the dark-haired archer, the one who had defied death twice now? What of the others? Dwarves they might be, but she had no desire to let any being die in front of her very eyes.

Avoiding breathing through her nose, Tauriel moved to the head of the rocks.

Looking out at the rushing river, Tauriel shuddered. Suddenly, as if a section of her mind had been unlocked, she could remember. She could remember it as if it was but a day ago, a memory still fresh in her mind.

* * *

_Her brother, smiling at her. His grey eyes were soft. Behind him, the elf who she had thought her father grinned at her mother._

_Her mother. Memories of her were fainter, faded. Green eyes looking down at her. A smile flitting across a pale, moon-shaped face. Bright, bright red hair._

_And a pair of daggers, clutched in each small hand._

_"Do not hesitate." Audriel's eyes were serious, but in the very depths of them there was a glimmer of laughter. "Never, ever hesitate. If you do, they will kill you."_

_She paused for a heartbeat, and the small elf brushed ragged red hair out of her face. Frowning in confusion._

_"Why, Nana?"_

_Bitter, bitter pools of green. Pain flashing across her face._

_"It is part of our life. Evil will always be there, even if it but a shadow. Some of the most powerful elves of this age do not understand that. It is our duty to protect this land-and ourselves-from darkness. It has always been so, ever since your ancestor sacrificed her life in the war. It always be this way. Do not forget that."_

_The elleth nodded vigorously._

_And then, very faintly, words. Vague, as if Audriel was scared to say them herself._

_"I will not always be here, Seena. Soon, you will be alone."_

_And then, suddenly, smoke. Fire, blood. Screams._

_"Run! Run, and don't look back. They have come for us. Remember, my dear. Remember that she loved you, and so do I."_

_Once again, daggers were pushed firmly into her hands, and caloused fingers wrapped her own firmly around the hilts._

_"Remember."_

* * *

Thranduil lay one hand on his sword, jaw clenched in an effort to keep his temper.

"Tauriel has left," he growled.

Gyldyril stared at him, her eyes glazed over.

"Tell me, do you know anything of this?" he demanded.

"It's time," the old elf muttered inanely.

Thranduil's hand clenched around the hilt of his sword. His knuckles were slowly going white.

"Answer the question."

Gyldyril shook herself, green eyes widening slightly.

"You pushed her too far, didn't you?" she laughed wildly. "And she left. You should have learned the first time, Thranduil. We do not stand for being ordered around."

A muscle twitched in the Elvenking's jaw.

"Do not speak for her," he rumbled. "Your line is the same in one way, and one way only. You all eventually betray us."

Gyldyril tilted her head, a bruise flowering on one cheek. She obviously had not come to him willingly. Suddenly, startlingly, a glimmer of the elf she had been shone through in her manner. She stood straight, and her bearing was almost royal. Sharp, clear green eyes glared up at him, and Thranduil almost flinched. This was the elf he knew-and hated deeply.

"Really, Thranduil?" Gyldyril asked softly. "I have seen her mind. I know her darkest secrets, her deepest desires. Would you believe that once she cared for you as a father, and did everything she could to please you? Would you believe that she was willing to sacrifie all for the light?" Thranduil winced almost imperceptibly, and she laughed. "I thought not. No, you are not quite as open to her as you might think."

The Elvenking hurriedly continued, not willing to bring back old memories and past events.

"She left," he repeated firmly. "I have cause to believe you played a part in her deception and defiance."

Gyldyril eyed him thoughtfully, and he was unable to meet her gaze. This strong, willful elf was a far cry from the demented elf he had brought up from the dungeons.

He did not entirely like the change.

"Ah," she finally said. "You are scared."

Thranduil bit back a vehement denial. Somehow, Gyldyril was always able to break down the thick walls he hid behind each day.

"I am not," he snapped, fighting to keep his voice level. "I am disappointed, and angered."

Gyldyril narrowed her eyes. Slits of green stared at him, and though she was a good eight inches shorter than Thranduil, she managed to look down at him.

Softly, she spoke. "Once, I would have been prepared to take your word. Not so after you ruined Audriel." Thranduil paled slightly. "I watched her fade, and then her life darkened. She turned to anger and destruction. I warned you that eventually her daughter would do the same." She shook her head. "Of course, you did not listen. No, you are Elvenking and as such you are privileged to do whatever you wish. You ignored your fate." In one smooth, obviously practiced move, Gyldyril raised an eyebrow. Thranduil glowered at her. "Now, when your walls have come tumbling down and as darkness rises again you come crying, trying to find someone to blame for this disaster."

Opening his mouth to voice his anger, Thranduil suddenly came to the realization that she was partially right. Snapping it shut again, he eyed her balefully.

"Are you done?" he growled.

"Oh, no," Gylyril said. Her voice was lethal, and chills raced down his back. "I was your father's advisor for many years, Thranduil. I warned him not to go-nay, begged and pleaded. The fool got himself killed. I got thrown into that dungeon for my pains. I have spent many, many years thinking. My mind has wandered, I have seen and felt things that I have no desire to see and feel again. I took hold of Tauriel for a single purpose. My duty has been fulfilled to Audriel." Sighing deeply, Gyldyril continued. "I know why you brought me here. You plan to end this once and for all, don't you?"

Thranduil's silence was answer enough.

"You think she will come back once I am gone?"

Still he remained mute.

"You believe that I started this, and I have finished it?"

Thranduil's hand tightened even more on the sword hilt.

Advancing on him, Gyldyril looked at him. Her eyes were a sad, clear green.

"You outlived us all," she whispered. "Seena. Laerguel. Aneana. Tauriel's father. My sister. But Tauriel will live, and she will fulfill her duty. This is not done yet, Thranduil. It did not end on the battlefield where Oropher died, not in those blood-soaked fields where Seena gave her life. It will not end now. Darkness is growing. You have been blind to it. I have not. I have seen the shadows growing in the forest. Dol Guldur is home to a being so dark I hesitate to even name it. We have all seen its evil."

Gyldyril stopped, and her eyes glazed. Gasping, she fought to regain control of her mind.

"Tauriel... will live. You must help her. The Lonely Mountain is... but the beginning. She will not come back, Thranduil. She has left you...you and your lies behind forever." Stumbling, Gyldyril regained her feet and stood, swaying in front of him. "Tell her...tell her that she still lives. And that love will guide her...always." She gasped again. "End this, I beg you. I am done."

Horrified, Thranduil watched as she tried desperately to draw his own sword. _She wants to die_, he realized. _She wants to be free from this living death. And did I not call her here to put an end to this?_

Slowly, regretfully, he drew his sword.

Deep green eyes gazed at him, wild and untamed.

The sword fell.

Gyldyril gasped once, and it was not of pain. It was a cry of gladness and relief.

Slowly, her life fled.

She was gone. Her duty was fulfilled.

* * *

**I hated doing that. :( Sigh. Anyways, the next update should come fairly quickly. And as always, reviews are greatly appreciated! I love hearing y'all's thoughts on my work.**


	10. Hidden Lies

**Chapter 10! I'm sorry for the delay in updating. I plead sickness and an insane amount of homework, LOL!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Tauriel stared out into the rushing waters, anxiety curdling her stomach.

Glancing behind her for a heartbeat, she tensed. There was someone-or something-there.

Whipping an arrow out of her quiver and fitting in to the bow, she spun. Her nocked arrow was set firmly on one point, but when she saw who it was it wavered slightly.

"I thought you were an Orc," she said.

Legolas, his own bow fully drawn, smiled grimly. "If I were an Orc, you would be dead."

Tauriel winced internally. His statement was painfully true. Slowly releasing her bow, she stood and replaced the arrow.

"Tauriel," Legolas called. "You cannot hunt 30 Orcs on your own."

Once again gazing at the water, Tauriel bit back a flash of annoyance. Thinking back to Legolas's repeated and obvious jealousy and Thranduil's warning, she glanced sideways slightly, a half smile pulling on her lips. "But I'm not on my own."

Her tactic worked, perhaps even better than she had hoped. Legolas smiled back at her.

"You knew I would come," he said gently.

Her conscience tugged at her, but she smiled again and told herself it was all for the best.

"The king is angry, Tauriel," Legolas continued, speaking quickly. "For 600 years my father has protected you, favored you." Tauriel wrenched her head around, the smile wiped away and replaced by deep anger. Legolas stepped easily up onto the rocks she was standing on. "You defied his orders." His eyes were piercing, and Tauriel could not bring herself to meet them. "You betrayed his trust."

Swallowing, Tauriel nervously met his gaze. Indecision warred inside her.

"Come back with me," Legolas said. "He will forgive you."

Even as he spoke, Tauriel hardened her heart against him. Legolas and the truth he spoke meant nothing. There were dwarves dying, and he and Thranduil were willing to sit and do nothing. She wiped away all feeling, and spoke.

"But I will not," she said. And it was the truth. Her voice rising, she continued. "If I go back, I will not forgive myself." She turned away, trying to hide the anger that was surely burning on her face. "The king has never let Orc filth roam our lands. Yet he would let this Orc pack cross our borders and kill our prisoners."

She could sense Legolas trying to deny her words. Vehemently, he spoke.

"It is not our fight."

Spinning, Tauriel looked at him coldly. All hint of friendship was gone. "It is our fight." She took several steps towards him, her throat constricting with fury and compassion for the dwarves. "It will not end here. With every victory, this evil will grow." Legolas met her gaze calmly, but as she continued he glanced away. "If your father has his way, we will do nothing. We will hide within our walls, live our lives away from the light. And let darkness descend."

Legolas flinched slightly, and swung his gaze around. Grey eyes met green, and only one pair appeared calm.

Pitying Legolas for a second, Tauriel tried to soften her words. "Are we not part of this world?" Wide eyes stared back at her. "Tell me, _mellon_. When did we let evil become stronger than us?"

* * *

Arwen peered anxiously into the window, searching for any hint of Tauiel's father.

There was nothing.

Sinking to the ground, Arwen considered her options.

He was obviously gone, although she did not know how long. Her father had urgently bid her to find Tauriel's father, saying that he could be a key to this war. As soon as possible, she had hurried to the small hut, and found this.

Or, in other words, nothing.

Inhaling deeply, Arwen stood once again. Creeping around the side of the house, she knocked firmly on the door. "Hello?" she called softly.

There was no answer, but she had not expected one.

Slowly, she pushed the flimsy door inward, nerves humming. Unconciously, she reached for the curved sword strapped to her waist.

A gust of wind swept in through the open door, and dust swirled.

Awen sneezed once, then closed the door. Gazing around the baren hut, she noted the thick layer of dust covering most items, and the lack of any fresh food.

"He has been gone for a long while," Arwen murmured to herself.

Wrenching open the door once more, she stepped back outside, closing it gently behind her.

Blowing air out through her lips, Arwen gathered herself.

"What has _happened_?" she wondered aloud.

It is beggining, her mind whispered.

Chills raced down her back, and she fought back the flood of worry trying to wash over her.

Closing her eyes briefly, Arwen collected her thoughts. As she moved away from the hut towards her mare, she glanced back once.

She could have sworn that there was a shadowy, indistinct figure standing outside the door of the hut.

Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought and continued on her way.

* * *

Thranduil stared at the elf in horror.

"_He left_?" he whispered.

The elf gulped and nodded.

Thranduil looked down at himself, pure hatred towards Tauriel flowing through him._ She did this_, he thought. _She took Legolas from me._

Lifting his head again, the Elvenking favored the cowering messenger with an icy glare.

"Send out word that the Captain has been banished."

* * *

Tauriel moved nervously along the trail, her whole body trembling with anxiety. Legolas took up the rear, and she could feel his eyes following her.

Finally, she could not take the silence any more.

"Why did you follow me?" she asked, glancing backwards for his reaction.

There was none. Legolas looked at her thoughtfully, his denamor calm and collected.

"Because you are my friend," he said simply.

Tauriel halted abruptly and nearly tripped over a tangle of weeds.

"What?" she yelped.

Legolas tilted his head slightly, amused at her reaction. "What, did you think I want to put all those hours of archery training to waste?" He smiled, trying to ease the tension.

Tauriel smiled weakly back. Her head was pounding violently, whether from lack of sleep, absence of food or exhaustion she did not know. Secretly, she knew it was her conscience that was eating at her-her and the twisted words she had wrapped around herself like a shield.

Licking her lips, she started forward and tried again.

"It could not possibly have been just that," she insisted. "Besides, I more than made up for that, did I not?" Echoes of laughter, ringing like a bell, filled her ears for a split second. They were sounds that she had experienced an eternity ago, or so it seemed.

Behind Tauriel, Legolas stared at her dancing mane of red hair. Indescion ruled.

_Do I tell her_? he asked himself. _Do I lie?_ He settled for silence.

Tauriel, however, was not about to let the conversation slip out of her grasp. As her aching muscles bunched and knotted, she gave in and halted. "We stop here for the night," she declared, sinking to the ground. Wincing, she rolled her shoulders hesitantly. Absently, she thought of what Enaril, her old Captain, would have said- _"Get right back up and _keep moving_!"_

She could almost hear his enraged roar, and a smile fought for control of her lips. _Enaril would have pushed me until we were both about to dr_op, she thought wryly, knowing full well that with every minute she stayed still the Orcs were getting farther away. And with them, the dwarves-if they had not already been slaughtered like the poor animals she had found.

Legolas stopped beside her, and though her eyes were closed Tauriel could almost see his laughing eyes.

"So, why did you follow me?" she persisted. "And don't bother trying to change the subject."

"Honestly?" Legolas said softly. "I don't know."

Her eyes snapped open, staring up at him.

"_What_?" Tauriel said again.

Legolas checked his quiver, smoothly lowering himself to the ground beside her. "I don't know," he confessed again. It was the truth, in many ways.

Tauriel eyed him suspiciously, then switched her gaze to the ground. She did not dare to start a fire, but the temptation was overwhelming. Her stomach rumbled slightly, and she winced. Her eyes flicked towards Legolas, but he was staring at his hands.

"I don't know," Legolas repeated once more, shaking his head slightly.

Tauriel shook her own head in disgust. Rubbing her aching leg mucsules with one hand, she counted her arrows and checked her daggers. All were in place.

"Sore?" Legolas asked with a sympathetic half-smile.

Tauriel nodded reluctantly, humiliated. "It has been a long time," she said simply. It was true. She had not pushed herself like this for many years now. Silently, Tauriel vowed to keep up with her training excersises if she made it through this nightmare.

"Yes," Legolas agreed. "It has." Shifting slightly, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

Tauriel stared at him for several seconds, trying to convey her discomfort at their position. Legolas, however, was still staring blankly at seemingly nothing.

Shaking her head, she leaned back slightly, finding that she enjoyed the feeling of security Legolas brought her.

As sleep overtook her, her last concious thought was _I hope he doesn't fall asleep as well_.

* * *

**The next chapter should be up within two weeks. :)**

**R&amp;R, please!**


	11. Abandoned

**I opted for more on Thranduil's side of things for this chapter. :) Enjoy!**

* * *

Legolas stared down at Tauriel's sleeping form, glassy sightless eyes staring up at him. The sight was slightly unnerving, even though he often slept that way himself and had seen many other elves do the same.

Several hours had passed since she had fallen asleep. And though he was exhausted himself, he could not bring himself to sleep.

Rusty red hair puddled on the ground, still as smooth as it had been when Tauriel had first set out. The intricate braids pulled the long strands back from her ears, and down the back there was a thick fishtail. Despite the days she had been dodging bushes, there was a complete absence of any twigs or leaves. Indeed, even the dirt she was lying on never seemed to stick.

Shaking his head, Legolas turned away. Sharp eyes roved the landscape around them, searching for any sign of Orcs or dwarves.

With a sigh, Legolas looked back down at Tauriel.

_Ada will know by now_, he thought. _There is no way he has not learned of this_. Oddly, he did not fear his father's wrath like he had in previous years; and though he knew there would be consequences or his disappearance he worried more for Tauriel than himself. As the only heir to the throne he was valuable; she was but a single piece in the Elvenking's thousands and thousands puzzle pieces. She could be replaced.

What would Thranduil do? There was a very real possibility Tauriel could be sentenced to death, if they made it through this. She had openly and completely defied his father, and that could be considered treason. Knowing the Elvenking well, Legolas considered the facts and came to the conclusion that Thranduil would do no less than relieve Tauriel of her status as Captain of the Guard.

Grasping the hilts of his twin daggers, Legolas smoothly flipped them out of their sheathes and inspected them for any signs of dullness or wear.

Not expecting any, he was not surprised when a careful examination turned up nothing.

Sliding them forcefully back into the scabbards on his back, he leaned down and firmly shook Tauriel's shoulder.

Hard muscles bunched underneath his fingers, and Tauriel lunged forward. As one hand wrenched a dagger from its sheath, the other grasped for her bow and arrows.

Caught off-guard, Legolas was not prepared for a razor-sharp blade to come whistling past his nose and nearly strike his shoulder.

Jerking backwards, he stared in shock as the crazed look faded from Tauriel's eyes.

Breathing heavily, Tauriel now held both of her daggers in a defensive position-one facing outward, one inward. Striving to get her bearings, her eyes jumped from Legolas to her weapons to the area around them. Slowly, she calmed.

"What did I do?" she croaked desperately, seeing Legolas's hororfied face.

He did not answer her.

"What happened?" Tauriel cried. "Tell me!" Her eyes were wide and panicked.

Legolas winced. "I startled you," he said, trying to soften the reality.

Once again, Tauriel stared at her daggers.

"I attacked you," she said. Wonder and disgust tinted her words as realization flooded her. "I attacked you. Good Eru, _no_!" Sheathing the daggers with trembling hands, she sank back down onto the ground. Her whole body was shaking uncontrolably. "I'm sorry, Legolas! I did not know..." Slumping, Tauriel buried her face in her hands as sudden tears filled her eyes. "I did not know it was you," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

Legolas clenched his jaw, muscles standing out on his neck. "You did not harm me," he tried to assure her.

Tauriel lifted haunted eyes to his. "But what if next time I do?" she said in a tortured voice.

Legolas frowned. "This has happened before?"

Tauriel nodded miserably.

Crouching next to her, Legolas tried to make sense of this turn of events. "You mean to say that something has... happened," he said after a slight pause, "to make you disoriented when you are awoken."

"It's not _that_," Tauriel whispered.

His frown deepened. "What do you mean?"

"_I_... I have fallen."

"_What_?"

"I have fallen, like my mother and Gyldyril...and Laergulel... and all the others." Softly, she wept.

"What has happened to you?" Legolas asked urgently, clamping one hand down on her shoulder and shaking gently. "What has happened, Tauriel? Ever since you got poisoned, nothing has been the same."

Slowly, Tauriel lifted her head. The look on her face was chilling, and when she spoke her words did not seem to be her own.

"Change is inevitable," she said tonelessly. "It is what changes that makes the difference. This is but the begining of a long, long struggle against the darkness in this world. What happens when there is no more good left? What comes to pass when the empires of light have fallen into ruin and always-burning fire races across this land? We are but one string in a very, very large web, _my lord_. Slowly, other strings are weakening with the weight of this war."

Legolas stared at her, shocked at both her words and the realization that she was right.

"What happens when the elves sail, leaving Men behind? What burdens will fall upon them? Men are weak," she spat. "They are so easily turned and corrupted. So easily killed and ruined. The ashes of a thousand years before all this is blown across this land. Memories have been melted down into nothing, and all we ever see is our own wealth and strength. If we do not stop this, dragon fire will engulf everything and the world will burn in darkness forever. An ember is growing hotter...this land is nothing but dry, dry tender waiting to go up in flames. We must stop this. Soon, you will play your part."

Tauriel trailed off, eyes glazed, then spoke again.

"The world will_ burn_..."

She collapsed.

* * *

Thranduil stared blankly at the smoothly curved sword held in his hands.

_What do you do when your child walks away?_ he thought. _Was Gyldyril right, even after all this time?_ Remembering the demented elf's cloudy eyes, the Elvenking flinched. Gyldyril had been in those dungeons for many years. And how had repayed her service to his father? By ignoring her presence and, in doing so, leading to her slow deterioration.

"What I am to do?" he wondered aloud.

_The world will burn..._

The Orc's words came harshly, and for a mere second he was there again- in that land, where his wife had breathed her last.

And her very last words, not directed towards him, but to his son-Legolas.

Always_ Legolas_, he thought bitterly.

He remembered the rattle of her breath, the desperate grip of her slim hands on his; and everywhere, blood. The smell of it was sharp in the air. It had soaked the ground, covered both him and Legolas's mother. Dried blood, on his hands, a dark rust.

He would forever regret those years. Years he had spent brooding over Audriel and her betrayal, half-heartedly caring for his family and his realm.

He had paid-in blood.

_Is blood the key to everything?_ he asked himself. _It governs us all._

Slowly, Thranduil set the sword aside. It was not his father's, but his own. Over many years, he had tried to rid himself of everything Oropher had ever touched; both grief and resentment shaping his actions. _He was weak_, he told himself. _Weaker than any of our line. He got slaughtered for his troubles_.

Deep down, he knew it was not true.

He still cared for his father-did not want to, but still did. He missed Oropher, his guidance and his wisdom. He had grieved for many weeks when his father died. Slowly, though, he learnt to bury all emotions deep beneath the cold walls of ice he had built for so many years; and with them went his grief-each and every trace of it. He devoted himsef to his work.

And, eventually, the pain eased enough for him to truly believe he had forgotten.

Then Audriel had come back, luring him into a false sense of security. Slowly, so very slowly, his grip on the woodland failed, and with it his feelings for the rage-filled beauty he had known all his life. Or so he thought.

He had eventually learned to care for his wife. Not love.

_Never_ love.

It was the painful lesson he had learnt, with but one exception: Legolas. He had tried to be a good father to him; had tried to protect and shelter him from the world around him. Always, he strove to be there, offering the helping hand and guidance his own father had failed to give-no, was _unable_ to give.

And so, for him, this was the most painful cut of all. Tauriel's continued defiance and her desertion he could handle easily. Legolas...

Legolas's actions had parted his heart to the very core.

Blood pounded in his temples as Thranduil saw his son's face dancing before him, many many years of images he had stored away in his mind. Then, at the very end, a flash of red hair.

_Audriel?_ he asked himself. _Or Tauriel?_

* * *

**Well, folks, there's chapter eleven. It will be a fairly long time before I update again. I will not have any time for writing for several weeks. See you then!**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	12. Opened Eyes

**Well, here is chapter 12, quite a bit earlier than I thought! Also, I have a new one-shot out! Fade is my last new fic for a while. Thank you, followers, faves, and reviewers!**

**Secondbreakfast, _gasp_! The idea! :p**  
**Moodryder, I know I'm horrible. *Insert evil author laugh here***

**And yes, this is all one giant cliffie. :)) Mwahaha! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_White hands reached slowly for her neck, seeking to cut off her source of life. Crying out, she batted them desperately away as sparks sizzled around her._

This_ was the end._

* * *

Choking on her own scream, Tauriel jerked herself upright. Blood, warm and metalic tasting, streamed into her mouth. She had clenched her teeth hard enough to cut her gums and tongue.

_It was not real..._ she reminded herself. Or was it? Lately, her dreams had been eerily accurate. What if this one was a foretelling of the future? Of her own death? She had no desire to die anytime soon.

Getting shakily too her feet, Tauriel glanced around. Legolas was nowhere in sight. Indeed, it seemed that everything had disappeared. There was only a blur of trees, and the ominous silence that often came before a storm.

Hands slowly reaching for an arrow, Tauriel sharpened her gaze. Suddenly, everything was brought into focus-too much so. The sun was too bright, the earth under her feet was rumbling slightly, and above all, there were _things_ that she should not have been able to see.

Things that she did not _want_ to see.

Panicking, Tauriel realized that these groping, filmy hands were the same as the ones in her dream.

One of the things drew a straight, deadly-looking dagger.

Tauriel screamed, throwing herself too one side.

The dagger plunged downward, and she rolled desperately. The sharp tip pierced the earth inches from her arm.

The world swam around her as the thing prepared itself for another blow. Tauriel closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable pain that the dagger would bring.

* * *

Lord Elrond eyed his daughter with disbelief.

"You mean to say," he growled, "that Tauriel's supposed father has now disappeared without a trace, under dubious circumstances? And what of Tauriel herself? I have not been able to catch a glimpse of her for many days now, and you are telling me that she is in grave danger."

Arwen's smooth, unlined face showed no signs of worry. Once again, she was the perfect, unruffled elleth Tauriel had first met-and disliked intensly. Looking at her, many beings had thought her completely emotionless. Her mask was firmly in place, her heart was chiled, her eyes shadowed with knowledge and perhaps a bit of annoyance.

"Something has shifted the balance," Arwen said in a low voice.

Her father's eyebrows shot up. "I have felt nothing."

"I have."

Arwen turned, meeting her father's eyes, and for a second a glimmer of emotion broke through her facade. She was worried, even if her appearance belied it.

"Something has changed," she continued. "I have had mere glimpses of Tauriel, and they are broken by fire. It seems that she is cut off from your sight, and yet I am able to catch her for short periods of time. I have seen nothing that would indicate anything unusual, and yet I cannot rid myself of this feeling. Something is not right, but I can place it. Tauriel has finally begun her inevitable fall. I do not know why, or even how, but she has-so much sooner than any of the others-except Audriel. Tauriel's heart is still pure and unshadowed. It is her eyes that are blind, due too actions and choices of others."

"And what does this have to do with her father?"

A smile brushed her lips. "What if he is not truly her father?"

Lord Elrond stared at her. And then, shockingly, laughed. "_No_," he said. "He is most definitely her father."

"Tell me, then, why I feel no connection between them. There is nothing, Ada. Indeed, he has broken all ties to everything-the woodland, animals, trees, even his own mind. But even so, there should be some trace that ties them together."

"Tauriel's face is strikingly similar to his own."

Arwen shook her head. "No, it is not. It is her mother's face that stares back at me when I look at her. Everything about her bears her mother's mark." Fingering her necklace, Arwen continued. "I met Audriel. Just once, but I have never forgotten her face. It was..." She paused, searching for a accurate description. "It was horrorfyingly beautiful. And her eyes..." She shuddered. "They seemed to tug at your very soul. Something was wrong with Audriel, that much I do know. Something was not right. Everything about her was perfect, but underneath all that something had gone sour, rotted away until there was nothing but darkness left."

Elrond frowned even more. "I cannot understand it. I, too, have met Audriel. And when I see Tauriel, I am not reminded of her mother. The shape of her face is diferent, and her hair is a shade darker. Audriel's was truely blood red, and her face was shaped like a moon. As I said, I do not see the similarites, beyond her hair and eyes." He paused. "And her skill with a sword."

Arwen was blinking rapidly, trying to make sense of her father's words.

"Tell me," she said slowly, "Did you ever see Audriel _truly_ fight?"

"No, I did not."

"How, then, do you know of her skill?"

"Thranduil," Lord Elrond said promptly.

Arwen sighed, refusing to meet her father's eyes. "What if he lied?" she whispered. "What if _all_ of this has been a lie?"

Elrond's face was grim. "Then we must find a way to reveal the truth. Tauriel's life may depend on it." He frowned again. "Strange, but as I think on it, Tauriel does not look dissimilar to _my_... family."

Arwen arched one dark brow in question.

Lord Elrond waved it away. "It is our duty to find Tauriel's father."

Arwen nodded silently.

"And we must inform Thrand-the Elvenking."

Still, she said nothing. Her silence was begginging to unerve her father. Arwen was not an elf to stay quite for long.

"It is almost a pity Gyldyril has passed on," he said hesitantly. "She would have been able to offer much advise."

Arwen's eyes widened. "_What_?" she exclamed.

He sighed. "Yes. Thranduil said it was an... accident. A misunderstanding. She has passed from this world, and with her many, many centuries of advise she would have been able to give."

"Which means that we are now truly alone, without any of that line to guide us. And Tauriel has no sane family," Arwen whispered, her words almost a question.

Lord Elrond bowed his head. "Yes."

* * *

Legolas watched from the shadows as Tauriel cried out, the scream echoing through the trees and into the woodland beyond. As she rolled too one side, his eyes widened slightly.

_Something_ was wrong.

Something had too be wrong, for her too be acting in such a way. Indeed, Tauriel looked like she was fighting for her life. As her body sagged in defeat, Legolas stepped into the clearing.

* * *

Staring into the large, oval shaped mirror, Thranduil inhaled deeply.

Adreh's voice filled his head. "_We all have scars that we must learn to accept. Some are larger than others, and some are mere scabs waiting to be brushed away. You have to face them, my lord._" Her proud, strong-boned face filled his eyes, and for a heartbeat he was there, stepping out of reality and into the past.

The past was always painful.

The future was still unspoken.

The present was soaked with blood. His own, his sons, and the ones who he had once cared for.

A single tear rolled off his hideously burned cheekbones, leaving a fiery trail in its wake.

He did not feel the burn. After the first few years of always-present agony, it faded. It seemed that he was now incapable of feeling pain.

Or, at least, his body was.

"_Legolas..."_ Thousands of words filled his ears, overlapping into one heart wrenching cry. "_Protect him, Thranduil_!"

_Protect him..._

_Legolas..._

_Remember..._

Clenching his jaw, Thranduil spun.

"We go to war."

* * *

Tauriel lay on the ground, her muscles clenching painfully. _Everything_ hurt.

_Please_, she silently begged. _Get it over with._ Death would, at least, bring peace.

But it never came.

Straining to open one eye, Tauriel looked up at Legolas.

"Thank you, my lord," she whispered. His face spun, and suddenly she was falling into an abyss.

* * *

***Cough* I know that you are thinking, "Why on earth is she dragging this whole thing on and on?!" Trust me, this is all very important! If I skipped these chapters, in TT#3, you will be staring at the screen saying, "What?" Now, reviews, please? :P**


	13. Risk

**Yay, a nice fast update! Thank you reviewers, followers and faves! To answer some questions...**

**NCISRookie33, I know, but trust me, there will be a complete explanation... but not until TT#3!**  
**ClaraS, as of now, that information is unknown on everyone's end but mine, mwahaha!**  
**hobbitJunki, you will see! :))**

**Enjoy! This chapter has some HUGE developments...**

* * *

"You would risk destroying centuries of work?" Lady Galadriel's face was icy.

Quietly, the elf spoke. She could barely make out the words. "I do not wish to do so."

"It is the greatest risk you will be taking. I beg you, do not follow through with this!"

The hooded figure tilted its head to the side. "And if I do?" This time, the words were loud enough for the Lady of Lorien to hear clearly. The voice was feminine, low and husky.

"You may burn the only bridge she may ever be able to cross."

The figure laughed loudly, the sounds echoing through the woods. "I am _quite_ willing to take that chance."

* * *

_"Remember, Seena." Audriel's face was perfectly blank, and it was chilling. "Remember that even those you care deeply for will turn against you. It is your job to find the path. They are the ones who choose to follow it." Cupping her hand around a candle, Tauriel's mother blew softly through her lips. Every trace of light vanished, and once again darkness enveloped her._

* * *

"_No_," Tauriel moaned. "No! Don't go! They are coming..."

Legolas stared down at her. Barely an hour had passed since Tauriel had fainted, leaving them both stranded in danger of an Orc attack. Thoughts and ideas warred viciusly inside his head. She was obviously traumatized, but they had to leave. And if their-no, her-mission failed, then he had no doubt she would fade. Cupping a hand around her chin, Legolas brought her head up.

Blank eyes stared back at him, only the whites showing.

Startled, he jerked back and almost suceeded in bashing Tauriel's head into the ground. Carefully regaining his grip, Legolas made his decision.

"Tauriel," he said softly. "We have to go." Something told him that she was partially concious, and was able to hear his words. "The Orcs will be upon us soon."

Wrenching her chin from his hands, Tauriel rolled into a fetal position. "I can't fight them," she whispered. "Don't go!"

"I won't," he promised, not entirely sure if she was talking to him. Grabbing one hand, he squeezed hard. "I won't. But we have to go, _mellon nin_. Now."

"It is burning..._burning_..." Tauriel whimpered.

Panicking setting in, Legolas looked around for something-anything-to get her awake.

A water-skin called to him. Lunging forward, Legolas thanked the Valar that he had had the insight to fill it. Opening the small bag, he emptied it onto Tauriel's face.

Icy cold water streamed down her neck and into her clothing. Tauriel jerked upright, sputtering and disorianted.

"What is it?" she gasped, getting to her feet.

He stared at her, blood pounding in his veins. The rythmic thumping was deafening.

"Tauriel," he whispered.

Her eyes widened in alarm. "_What_?"

Stepping closer, Legolas drew her into his arms. "I could not wake you," he said hoarsely. Drawing back slightly, he brushed his lips across her forehead.

Tauriel's whole body stiffened. "Obviously, my lord, you eventually succeded." Her voice was annoyed and slightly muffled. "And I was _asleep_." Breaking free, Tauriel took five rapid steps away from him. "Let us go. As you said, we have much ground to cover and very little time."

She left Legolas staring after her in confusion, eyes glittering with emotion and, even though he would never admit it, tears.

* * *

"I do not want to," Estelin repeated stubbornly.

Thranduil's temper, already wearing perilously thin, finally reared up and displayed the pure force it could muster.

The Elvenking slammed one huge fist down onto the table, corded muscles bulging in his arm and hand. Estelin heard the wood crack, and it was not a reassuring sound.

Dark, heavy eyebrows knotted together in his anger, Thranduil leaned closer. And closer. He wanted the elf to be cowering, wanted him to be scared of the power that he held.

Not like Tauriel, who had faced him down and emerged victorious.

Still, Estelin's eyes did not flicker.

"I made a choice," he said calmly. "I do not plan on coming back into service, my lord. Please accept my appologies."

Disgusted, Thranduil finally vented several thousand years worth of pent up anger-anger at Audriel, fury at Tauriel, rage at Gyldyril, dead though she was. And all of it was about to fly straight towards the unsuspecting, imposibly stubborn and annoyingly _brave_ elf standing in front of him.

Grasping the wine glass in front of him, Thranduil clenched his fist. It shattered, shards of glass flying across the table.

"You will resume the position of Captain," he roared.

This time, Estelin did flinch. A small cut bloomed red with blood on his right hand.

"Or what?" he said quietly.

Rage boiled in the Elvenking's veins, hot and heavy with the promise of a battle. After so long, it was almost a welcome feeling.

"Or you will be thrown into the deepest dungeons, and I will choose another," Thranduil hissed across the table.

Finally, the elf paled. "And who might that be?" he asked, voice quavering slightly.

Thranduil smiled darkly, already tasting victory. He leaned towards the elf in front of him. Finally, when he was close enough to feel Estelin's breath on his cheeks, he spoke. "_Leniyaen_."

The reaction was immediate and immensely satisfying.

"N-no!" the elf stammered. "My lord, you cannot. He is responsible for all of this." Estelin's face had gone from white to grey.

Thranduil smiled again. "Oh, but I can. I can choose anyone I like. AndI highly doubt that this is Leniyaen's fault. Even from the beggining, he tried to fight Tauriel's methods. He shows good taste in that."

Estelin's hands were shaking violently. Laying them flat on the table, he pressed downward, trying to still them. "_Tauriel_," he whispered. "What has happened to her?"

The Elvenking grinned. "You may never know."

But he had pushed Estelin too far. With a roar, the elf flung himself around the table.

"Tell me!" he demanded, fists clenched hard enough to make the knuckles turn a stark white. "Tell me what she has done, and what you did to her. _Now_!"

Annoyed at this sudden outburst, Thranduil drew his sword. Surely, the elf would not challange him. None were daft enought to do that. He was unequaled. Except... except for Audriel.

And Tauriel? From what he had heard, she was just as good with a sword in her hand. Perhaps better.

The thought was not pleasent.

"She betrayed us," he said cooly, stepping back. "She ran from her responsibiltys. She has been banished."

"I do not believe you," Estelin rasped back. "Tauriel has never run from anything, least of all a task set before her. If she ran, it was because she had a duty elsewhere."

"Even so, she ran. And she took my son with her."

Estelin blanched whiter. "No."

"Oh, yes. She stole his heart from him and then ran, forcing him to leave as well. She is a traitor. When I find her, she will pay dearly for this." The web of words he was spinning could ensnare even the smartest, for it was the truth; changed and twisted, yes, but still the truth.

Obviously forcing himself to remain calm, Estelin drew his own sword.

"Fool," Thranduil said icily. "No one has ever beaten me in a fair fight." _Were the fights with Audriel fair_? _No_, he told himself,_ they were not_. As in love with her as he had been, he had not been willing to risk injury to her person.

"You have done something to her," Estelin panted. "And I would give my life before I left her to fight alone." His sword hand shook, but his face was set.

Thranduil snorted. "Then you will die here and now, on your king's sword." _Has her poison reached this far_? he wondered.

Estelin growled, and his blade flashed down.

With a clear ringing sound, Thranduil's sword swept up and blocked his blow. Swiftly withdrawing, he stabbed for the elf's heart.

The former captain batted away his stroke and slammed downward with both hands.

Grudgingly, Thranduil admitted that he had underestimated his opponent. Parrying the blow, his movements became untraceable. The ringing of Elvish steel was clear and sweet.

Sweat was rolling down Estelin's face, and his attempts to block and attack were getting weaker.

Finally, Thranduil knocked the blade from his hands. Sweeping the elf's feet out from underneath him, he stood over the former captain.

"I will leave you with your life," he growled. Turning, he motioned for the guards. "Take him to the dungeons. And send for Leniyaen. Tell him I have something of great... _importance_ to tell him."

* * *

Tauriel froze. There. The Orcs.

"My lord," she hissed. "I found them."

* * *

**Slightly shorter than I had wanted, but hopefully the next chapter will be up soon! I struggled a lot with trying to balance Legolas's emotions in this chapter. I can't push it _too_ fast, because it will not work with the storyline. But, hopefully y'all liked this!**  
**R&amp;R, please!**


	14. Rise Again

**I know that I have not updated for a while, but hopefully this chapter will not disappoint! :)**

**viola1701e, bahaha! Love that! Old age... :p**  
**Hobbitjunki-wait and see! :))**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The constant hum of troops talking managed to penetrate even the thickest tent walls. Thranduil glowered out at them, sending the unlucky elves scattering.

"Of course," the Elvenking said, voice a dark rumble, "if you, too, fail in your duties I will have to take action." What that would be, he did not know, but it sounded sufficently threatening.

"My lord," Leniyaen said, bowing, "I have no greater desire than to serve you and your people."

_Power-hungry lies_, Thranduil thought, but continued anyway. "Are you aware of the responsibilities and danger this will involve?"

"Of course, my lord."

"And are you aware that we are going to war?" A smile curved its way onto his face as he waited for a reaction.

Thranduil was sorely disapointed. Leniyanen's face remained perfectly calm. "Yes," he said.

Steepling his hands together, the Elvenking looked down at the brown-haired elf standing in front of him.

"Very well," he said. "The battle begins now. Prepare the troops."

* * *

Legolas tensed beside Tauriel, every muscle in his body going taught as he prepared for a fight.

Tauriel tilted her head slightly upwards.

Legolas nodded, and started for the roof. The Orcs were starting to swarm up and onto the building, converging on where the dwarves obviously were.

Tauriel's jaw ached. In her concentration, she had clenched it hard enought to make her teeth pop slightly.

"Da? Is that you, Da?" a girl called out. She did not see the lurking figures on the roof, nor hear the Orcs panting for blood.

After staring out over the water for several moments, the girl turned. Tauriel nocked an arrow as an Orc leaped down behind the unsuspecting girl, snarling.

The girl screamed- _loud enough to wake the whole of Laketown_, Tauriel thought sourly- and ran, slamming the door behind her. The Orc's weapon, however, was shoved between the door and wall just before she suceeded.

Loud panting reached Tauriel's ears, and her eyes flitted over the area, trying to discern where it was coming from.

_There_.

A figure- a dwarf, she assumed - raced along, completely unaware of the danger lurking above him.

Her fingers carressed the fletching.

_Almost_, she whispered to herself silently.

The dwarf stopped short as an Orc dropped down onto the ground before him, falling backwards and almost suceeding in falling into the water.

Inside the house, chaos reigned. She could hear the sound of breaking glass, and once again the girl was crying out.

Very, _very_ loudly.

_Where is Legolas?_ she wondered. _Has he abandoned me-and them? What am I going to do?_

"_Aah_! Stay down!" someone screamed. Was it the girl? What was happening?

The Orc, raising its weapon for a deadly blow, never got to finish the action.

With deadly accuracy, Tauriel released her arrow. The Orc staggered for several seconds before collapsing.

Now, Tauriel thought. Moving from her tight crouch, she leaped to the ground and drew one of her daggers. Go, go, go! she screamed at herself as she saw an Orc leap up onto the railing. Whoever was inside the house would not be able to last much longer, with the amount of reinforcements pouring in.

Face stern with concentration, Tauriel pushed the Orc hard enought to make it stagger. The added bonus of a blow to the heart with one of her razor-sharp daggers made the posibility of the Orc ever getting back up slim.

The second dagger leaped from its sheath into her hand. Advancing slowly, Tauriel took in the situation, eyes darting as she assesed the targets and considered her options.

The situation was deteriorating violently.

A faint smile brushed Tauriel's lips as she saw an Orc lunging. _Good. Let them come_, she thought.

Whirling, Tauriel let one arm snap out. The Orc lunging for her never had a chance. It crumpled to the ground, either dead or unconcious. Another one, approaching from the opposit side, got a similar treatment-except that this time, she made sure her actions were deadly.

Spinning again, Tauriel let the knives in her hand become a blazing silver blur. A deadly one. Orcs crumpled around her as she danced amongst them, bodies crumpling to the ground.

_This_, she thought. _This is what I love._

* * *

Still crouching on the rooftop, Legolas heard the sounds of a fight beneath him. "Tauriel," he growled. "Where is she?" He had already decapacitated all the Orcs he could, and now he had to decide what to do.

_If she is injured_, he reasoned, _she would want me to fight in her place. If she is still well, then she is in all likelyhood already fighting and I should help her_.

He dropped down onto the table, which had been tipped forward in the conusion.

Eyes darting, he readied himself for a blood-bath.

* * *

"Who is _she_?" the Lady of Lorien growled.

Haldir inclined his head slightly, placing one hand over his heart. "I do not know, my lady."

Bridling furiously, Lady Galadriel clenched her fists even harder.

"You must know," she insisted.

"I am sorry to say I do not. She has remained elusive. All I know is that she has tied herself to these trees. They are talking to her."

She recoiled. "What?"

Haldir's eyes flickered. "That is all, my lady."

The Lady of Lorien's normally serene face was drawn tight with anger and worry. Her dress seemed to glow in the gloom, and there was a dangerous air of power that surrounded her. White-knuckled, she spun, her slim brows drawn together.

"I want you to find out. If she has tied herself to the Golden Woods, then you must ask the trees. I have seen notihng but rivers of blood, both black and red. This is of utmost importance. There is a sickness creeping into this land. I feel it... breathe it... smell it." She trailed off, staring into the bowl of water before her.

"My lady."

Starting, Galadriel looked up. "You heard me," she hissed.

Haldir looked at the Lady of Lorien, holder of a Ring of Power, and knew in his heart that there was nothing he could do. She ruled this land, and everyone in it.

* * *

_Red hair floated behind her as she swept across the floor. Her eyes were a stormy green, and her skin was milky white._

_"Seena?" she whispered._

_There was no answer._

_Huge eyes widened even more, and dark, upward-slanting brows drew together._

_"Fight it."_

_Silence._

_"Seena!" she snapped. "I said, fight it!"_

_The air chilled, and rain started to fall. The waterfall of blood-red hair stopped suddenly, and lighting crackled._

_"You still have a choice." Her eyes darkened, turning into pools of black, and her voice deepened, rasping lower. "Do not forget that there is always a choice."_

_The rain turned to hail._

_"You will fall further."_

_The silence was chilling._

_"You will lose everything." And suddenly, her hand whipped out and slapped the trunk of a tree. A tree that had sprouted from the air. "They will tell you all you need to know."_

_The world faded._

_"Remember._"

* * *

Tauriel rolled the herbs in her hands, crushing them as her heart beat a loud tattoo in her chest.

"Hold him down," she commanded as Kili cried out, thrashing.

The dwarves were doing their best, but it was not enough. Grasping his leg and bearing down, Tauriel looked at the wound.

A foul odor drifted up at her. Resisting the urge to gag, she remembered Adreh's words.

_"You have to feel it, put your heart into it..."_

_"Hold on, Legolas!"_

_"Tauriel... fight it!"_

Inhaling deeply, Tauriel called up her feelings of compassion and worry, directing them towards Kili. She could feel the light welling up inside her, straining to break free. She glanced at Kili's face, and her sense of direction faded.

_What if I can't do it? What if I fail, and he dies? What then? What if I kill one of my only friends?_

She could feel the other dwarves watching her, waiting for a sign. _So much worry. So much pain. What if.. what if_?

"_Menno o nin na hon i eliad ," _she said quietly, desperately trying to pull up the warm glow she should be feeling. Placing the kingsfoil on his wound-Kili screamed, the sound making her flinch- she continued. "A_nnen annin, hon leitho o ngurth..." _It was coming, slowly. So very slowly... She repeated it again, maintain pressure with her hands.

Kili suddenly stopped struggling. Looking down at him, she saw that he was staring at her, entranced.

It _was_ working.

Her voice echoing in her own head, Tauriel continued to look into Kili's eyes.

_Have I found it?_ she wondered _Have I found the light?_

* * *

**There! I am pleased with myself, I finally managed to push the story line along. And remember, pay close attention to dreams/visions, and what Lady Galdriel and Lord Elrond/Arwen are saying. ;)**

**R&amp;R, please!**


	15. Reveal

**I know that this is a short update, but I have been on very limited time lately. I don't have time to respond to reviews right now, but I will say this: it's not over yet! And no, this is not a TaurielxKili fic. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Arwen arched one smooth, dark brow in question.

Lord Elrond ignored her. "I must go," he said abruptly. "I have... business to complete."

Arwen stared blankly at her hands, mind spinning with all she had just seen. "But what if you are unable to finish it?" she said under her breath.

He froze, guilt washing over his face.

Arwen stood, eyes icy. "Go," she commanded.

Lord Elrond's face hardened at her tone. "I will," he said.

* * *

Tauriel stared down at her hands, her heart aching. She had abandoned Legolas. She had left him as surely as Thranduil had left her.

Was she truly so different from the Elvenking?

There was a slight movement from the corner where Kili was lying.

"_Tauriel_," he rasped.

She turned, her whole body throbbing with a variety of emotions she could not altogether place. Gathering strength, she answered him. "Lie still," she said softly. It was the best she could do.

Kili sighed softly.

She looked at him for another second or two, waiting to see if she could run. Run back to Legolas and the fight.

As she finally looked away, he sighed again. Louder.

"You cannot be her," Kili mumbled.

Tauriel lifted her eyes again. Her mind was screaming for her to leave, to abandon this hopeless cause and find Legolas.

"She's far away," Kili continued. His words caught. "Sh- she's far, far away from me."

Her brain and body had seemingly stopped working.

"She walks in starlight... in another world," he murmured.

Finally, Tauriel managed to force her head around.

_He is delirious,_ was her first thought. Her second was, _But what if he's not_?

"But it was just a dream," Kili said.

Opening her mouth, she floundered for words. Anything. Anything to stop this useless, frightening tsunami of emotions that were burying her.

She felt Kili's fingers trying to thread their way through hers. She did not resist, allowing him more contact with her than even Legolas.

He began to speak again, and her blood froze in her veins.

"Do you think she could have loved me?"

Slowly, Kili began to slip back into the dream world she had placed him in.

* * *

In the Golden Woods, the trees were talking. Slowly but surely, they were letting their knowledge flow into the mind of someone who should have been long dead, who had defied not only logic but destiny.

The slim, upright figure threaded her way through the trees. There was only one she needed to break.

Only one that would have had access to the thoughts she needed to see.

The tree flailed its limbs, trying to fend her off.

It was useless.

Placing a small, calloused hand on the trunk, the elf spoke. Not with her mouth, but with her mind.

_Tell me,_ she said. _What do you know of the battle that is quickly rising?_

_Nothing_, the tree rumbled.

_Liar!_ Her words cut like a whip. The tree mentally flinched.

_The Lady of Lorien has bound me well_, it offered. _ I can not say_.

_She has trained you well, you mean. I know what secrets you hold. Tell me_!

_I will not. The Lady of Lorien is my mistress, not_ you, it spat.

The elf raised her hand off the trunk of the tree. _Remember_, she warned it. _Not all are as forgiving as she is_.

The tree shuddered. _You believe I have forgotten?_ it demanded.

She arched one of her dark, heavy brows. _Truly? No. But you are misguided_.

All around her, branches creaked and screamed as they were lashed together, one at a time.

_You must not forget that I am stronger than she is_, the elf said icily.

The tree was silent.

Flicking her hand, she watched as the trees silently screamed. Their cries filled her mind, and as the pressure built she finally released them.

_Tell me_, she said softly. _Or they will experience pain like never before_.

Still, the old tree was silent.

Slowly, she lifted a hand.

Frantic, the trees around her begged for their leader to give in. _Tell her_! they cried. _ Please_!

There was a shift in her mind. She paused. _Will you tell me_? she wondered, being careful to close her thought out from the panicking trees around her.

The air crackled around her as she once again raised a hand.

_Wait_!

The urgent voice snapped through her shields, and for a second she panicked. What if the tree knew who she was?

She paused.

Finally, the tree spoke again.

_I will tell you_, it said, resigned.

She smiled icily.

_Good_.

* * *

Legolas was utterly and completely furious.

_She_ had dragged him into this, he told himself again and again. _She_ had caused this.

Cursing in Elvish, he swung the horse around and began pursuing the massive Orc.

Was this what his father had warned him against?

_Betrayal_?

Or the fact that he felt as if his heart had been forcibly ripped from his chest?

One thing was clear: Tauriel obviously had no feelings for him whatsoever. In fact, in his mind, she had gone far enough to say that she now hated him.

The gelding stumbled, and he lurched to the side. Legolas resumed swearing with a vengeance.

Shoving down the urge to clap his heels to the animal's side and make him run, Legolas steered the horse around a large ditch.

He could hear the Warg crashing through anything in its way.

A sneer worked its way onto his face.

_As if they could ever truly win_, he thought.

* * *

_Really?_ the elf wondered. _She has no knowledge of who I am?_

The tree mumbled something.

_Repeat that,_ she snapped.

_She does_, it relented.

_How much?_

_A guess. A fear that is worming its way into her heart._

_And?_

_A quest._

_Which is?_

_To destroy Seena's line._

She rose, fury rising up in her. _What?!_ she exploded. And in her anger, she forgot to keep the shields in her mind up.

It was her undoing.

The tree froze mentally.

_I know who you are,_ it said slowly. _She hates you. She would do anything to destroy you._

She recoiled in horror. _You know nothing of importance_, she said. _And I know everything. Go. Tell your mistress. I will be back, but no one will know who I am._

_Yes, go_, the tree said eagerly. _Go and never come back_.

The elf rose, and underneath the hood she smiled. A cruel, heartless smile that had made many turn and run.

_You wish_, she said.

And in doing so, she turned and ran.

Almost instantly, she vanished from sight. The trees strained to see where she was going, but the gloom proved too much for them. She disappeared.

The old tree slumped downward, only the knowledge of who the elf was keeping it upright. It wanted to fall down and never get up.

It, too, had betrayed the one it loved most.

Somehow, with _them_, it always came back to that.

* * *

Tauriel lifted a hand. It was vibrating vigorously.

_Stop_, she told herself sternly.

But as hard as she tried, she could not get it off her mind.

What, exactly was _in_ the mountain? What was _truly_ happening? What if she, too, had been mislead?

_They will tell you all you need to know..._

The image of the Greenwood, clean and healthy as it had once been, filled her eyes. _They will tell you_...

_The trees?_ she wondered. _Or someone - _something_? - else?_

_Who _exactly_ was my mother_?

_What does she have to do with all this?_

And suddenly, she froze. Petrified, Tauriel slowly turned and looked at the mountain.

_What... what if she is still _alive_? What if everyone has been lying? What if she is coming back - back to Mirkwood, back to find me? What if I was never meant to be born? What if _I_ was the one who lead to her death - or not?_

_What if..._

* * *

**"_What_?!" you say. "That just made it even more confusing! She said that she is going to explain it all!"**

**Please, don't kill me yet! Since this is a long, three part fic, there is going to be plenty of time! If you are a member of this site, leave me a review or PM with questions, or if you are not, leave me one and I will do my best to answer it next chapter. Of course, I can't tell y'all _everything_, that would ruin it all. ;) Honestly, I am a little bit surprised no one has guessed!**

**R&amp;R, please!**


	16. Promise

**Well, here is the next chapter! A _huge_ thank you to Starship T.A.R.D.I.S., who helped me with the BoFA timeline and events. I could not have gotten this far without you!  
More will be revealed soon... but not too soon! This fic will be over in less than five chapters, to my absolute horror. 0-o So, get braced for some action!  
**

**And thank you, reviwers, followers and faves! Hopefully, this chapter follows events mostly correctly. If not, I am so sorry-the fault lies with me!**

**Enjoy (_hopefully_)!**

* * *

_Fire_. It was all she could see, all she could feel and breathe.

There were echoes of screams. Faint murmurs she was desperately trying to ignore.

And then the dragon came.

Smaug swooped down, and Tauriel started backwards. Somehow, she had known that he was coming. Somehow, she had felt it. There was a whisper of wind as the huge, leathery wings sliced through the air, and then it was gone.

"We have no time," Tauriel said, her breath coming in short gasps. "We must leave."

"Get 'im up," one of the dwarves said. "Come on, let's go."

Kili protested. "I'm _fine_. I can walk."

Staring into soft, knowing eyes, Tauriel looked at Tilda. "Fast as you can," she said. Pain shot through her as she saw the fear and worry cloud them.

"We're not leaving," her brother said firmly as he approached from behind. "Not without our father."

"If you stay here, your sisters will die." She spun, anger warring with determination. "Is _that_ what your father would want?"

The boy lowered his eyes from hers. "No."

* * *

"Down here, now!" someone yelled.

Tauriel ignored the smell of putrid water and stepped firmly into the boat.

"Give me your hand," one of the dwarves said. She ignored him, and out of the corner of her eye saw his face fall. Instantly, she regretted the action.

"Quickly now," she said. Still, they hesitated. "Hurry!"

"Kili! Come on!"

"Keep going, man!" an unknown person screamed. All around her, there was the sound of rushing feet.

Feet and the unbearable crush of panic that was enveloping them all.

The boat was pushed off.

_And_, she thought, _so it begins._

_"Dragon!" _someone screamed hoarsely. Screams filled the air.

Wind whipping her red hair across her face and shoulders, Tauriel looked up.

He was diving. His stomach was glowing orange with fire. Suddenly, she was filled with a fear so great she could barely think. _I'm going to die_, she thought. _I'm going to be lit on fire and burned to death_...

Fire burst from his gaping jaws, instantly and completely igniting anything in its path.

Ducking, Tauriel watched as those around her disappeared in the rush of flames.

The boat was still going forward.

Another great rush of wings, and some part of her knew that he was coming back.

Again, a burst of flame.

Each time she evaded the fire, she felt a terrible certainty that next time, it would be the end.

She was partially right.

* * *

Up in his moldy, musty cell, Bard was working.

He was going to escape. He was _not_ going to let his children die.

And what better way to do it that to prevent the Master from leaving as well?

* * *

"_Look out_!" The yell split the air in front of her, and Tauriel jumped.

Another boat, much bigger, had crossed directly in front of them.

The boat tipped, and she was forced to cling to the sides. Her hair was trailing through the water, and she had a moment of disgust that she had not hacked it off years ago.

"Ahh," one of the dwarves said as the massive boat forced its way past them.

Tauriel looked at the goggling men above board, all staring at her, and her face hardened.

"_Move_ it, move it, _move it!"_

"Come _on_!"

They were still pushing past them. A sword was pushed towards her face, and there was an instant and all-consuming urge to peel the man's skin from his body piece by piece.

A tinkling sound, and then a sudden cry.

"_My gold_!" It was a roar, rising above the other sounds of chaos around them. Even so, she could barely hear him.

"We're carrying too much," someone said rapidly.

"We need to dump something!"

"Quite right, Alfrid." This was a low rasp. She did not recognize the voice.

A sudden splash, and she assumed the man called Alfrid had been pushed over board. He howled as he fell.

Closing off her mind, Tauriel resumed listening for the deadly sweep of wings that would inevitably come.

* * *

A small smile worked its way onto Bard's face.

_He was free._

He hoped that the fat fool had broken his neck.

* * *

Far away, Bilbo Baggins watched as the town below them went up in flames.

Choking back a sob, he thought of those who had to have died.

"Poor souls," Balin whispered.

Bilbo shifted slightly.

Thorin. Where _was_ Thorin?

He took several paces forward.

There. Sitting by himself, lost to view. Staring out at the rocks below.

A shiver of unease made its way down Bilbo's back.

_Something_ wasn't right.

* * *

Haldir stared at the tree, shocked into a temporary silence.

"She is back?" he whispered.

The tree groaned as it attempted to straighten its branches.

_Yes_.

Haldir groaned.

"She has broken everything. Burned every bridge. Forsaken all limits and broken her sworn word."

_They always do, in the end. Lady Galadriel was a fool_, the tree said bitterly.

"_Silence_!" Haldir snarled. "_No one_ calls the Lady of Lorien a fool in my hearing!" If he could, he would have put an arrow through the tree. But its bark was hard.

_I am sorry. My words ran away from me,_ the tree apologized.

"Sorry is never good enough."

* * *

The water was burning. Oil from lanterns and cooking had spilt, making a perfect feeding ground for the deadly bursts of flame.

Tauriel glanced behind her. For a second, she thought she heard her mother's voice.

Squashing the thought, she pushed off with one hand. There was no time for the mystery of her mother and her past.

There never was.

* * *

"Da," the boy said, his voice breaking. Tauriel started, once again glancing backward.

There was someone up there. But how could he tell? And what in the world was Bard trying to do?

There was a hiss, and something pinged sharply.

"He hit it!" Kili screamed. "He hit the dragon!"

"No," Tauriel breathed.

"He did! He hit his mark!" Kili cried desperately, whipping around to look at her. "I saw."

"His arrows cannot pierce its hide," Tauriel responded, her voice wavering slightly. Her own bow was in her hand, a full quiver of arrows ready and waiting to be drawn.

Then, in almost a whisper, she completed her words. "I fear nothing will."

"Bain!" one of the dwarves cried out, and she swung around. The boy was gone.

Her eyes searched for a moment, but she had already made a decision. "Leave him. We cannot go back." Indeed, she held no true fondness for the boy. If she could, though, she would have saved him.

"_Bain_!" Tilda sobbed.

Everyone else was silent.

* * *

Above them, the arrow struck home. A last cry, carried on the wind, reached Tauriel's ears as Smaug breathed his last choked breaths. As he fell, she knew it was far from over.

Far, _far_ from it.

* * *

It was loud. So very, very loud. Tauriel, her mind dazed and half-asleep, wondered if this was death. If so, it was very noisy.

But why was Tilda next to her? Did she die as well?

Tauriel hoped not.

There was a creak, and her head snapped around.

"Tauriel." It was Kili, and he was most certainly not dead.

He couldn't be.

Her mind clearing, Tauriel frowned slightly. Everything was a blur.

"Kili." The words came from behind him, but he did not respond. "Come on. We're leaving!"

Still, he was silent.

Throwing caution to the winds, Tauriel spoke. Her voice was raspy from lack of use. "They are your people. You must go."

"Come with me."

Tauriel inhaled sharply.

_No. No. No_...

Against her will, she met his eyes. What she saw there scared her.

"I _know_ how I feel," he persisted. "I'm not afraid. You make me feel alive," he said softly.

_But I am,_ she wanted to say. _ I am the one who is afraid_.

"I can't," Tauriel said. It was the truth.

"Tauriel."

It was one word, and yet it ripped her heart from her chest.

She turned.

Kili said something, and her eyes widened. She could not face it. "I don't know what that means."

He smiled. "I think you do."

She took a half step towards him. Her chest ached. She wanted to cry, to tell him that she was sorry.

But something stopped her. A presence, heartbreakingly familiar, was behind her.

"My lord Legolas," she said in Elvish. She did not look back. She did not know why he was there.

"Take your leave of the dwarf," he responded. She was silent. "You are needed elsewhere."

And once again, Tauriel felt the tug. _Something_ had to be wrong with her. She looked back at Kili. He looked resigned, bitter.

Shaking her head slightly, Tauriel half-turned. She did not want to leave. She wanted to stay and help, to try and make him understand that there was no way it could ever work for her. But she was out of time.

Kili stomped away, then stopped.

Walking quickly back towards her, he took her hand. Something cool and rounded was placed in it, and once again she drew in a sharp breath. _The rune stone._

"Keep it," he said. "As a promise."

* * *

**Well, there you go. I am not sure when the next chapter will be up. I will be away from home for several weeks, so will not have much time for writing. Also, I apologize if this chapter was rather roughly written. I did my best to smooth it out, but personally don't think I did a very good job. :( I will likely come back and edit/update this chapter later on. ;)**

**R&amp;R, please!**


	17. Beyond

**Well, here is chapter seventeen! Again, I will probably go back and edit it when I do finally get to watch BoFA. Hopefully, I did a passable job on this chapter.. :/**

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews! They make my day. :)**

**Enjoy (maybe)!**

* * *

Legolas stared angrily at the dwarf's back.

He had stolen Tauriel from him. Legolas did not stop to think about when she had first started to slip away from him. It had been many years ago, he just had not realized it. Now, though, she had truly fallen away completely.

Tauriel sniffed slightly, and his rage boiled over.

She was crying.

Over a dwarf.

He did not remember that she had cried over him as well.

* * *

"Where will you go?" Legolas asked Bard.

He stopped. "There is only one place."

Legolas watched for another minute or so. The disgusting creature Alfrid was refusing to work. He was tempted to put an arrow through him.

Bard passed by again.

"News of the death of Smaug will have spread through the lands," Legolas said.

Bard halted.

"Aye," he said softly.

Legolas approached him silently. "Others will look to the mountain for its wealth. For its position."

Bard's eyes drilled into his. "What is it you know?"

"Nothing for certain," Legolas responded. His voice betrayed him. "It's what I fear may come."

* * *

"You saw something out there." It was a statement, not a question.

"The Orc I pursued out of Laketown. I know him." Legolas sounded frustrated and worried. "Bolg, spawn of Azog the Defiler. A Warg pack was waiting for him on the outskirts of Esgaroth. They fled into the North." Tauriel looked at him, an unspoken question in her eyes. "These Orcs were different from the others, they bore a mark I have not seen for a long time..."

Tauriel was painfully reminded of the gaping difference in age between her and Legolas. She shook the thought away.

"...the mark of Gundabad." He halted.

"Gundabad?" Tauriel whispered.

"An Orc stronghold in the far North of the Misty Mountains."

"My lord Legolas," someone called. Tauriel's eyes shifted over his shoulder as she eyed the Elven arrival. "I bring word from your father," the elf continued. "You are to return to him immediately."

"Come, Tauriel," Legolas said over his shoulder as he began to walk towards the horse and its rider.

"My lord," the elf said hesitantly, "Tauriel is banished."

She froze. Disbelief washed over her. _No_. Even though she had known the consequences, they were hard to face. She had nothing without Mirkwood and her guards.

"Banished?" Legolas asked. His voice held no trace of shock. He had expected this. "You may tell my father if there is no place for Tauriel, there is no place for me."

Behind him, Tauriel opened her mouth to speak.

"Legolas," she whispered. He turned his head towards her. "It is your king's command."

"Yes, he is my king," Legolas said calmly. "But he does not command my heart."

Tauriel sank backwards. This was too much.

"I ride North. Will you come with me?" Legolas asked, moving quickly away.

"To where?" Hurrying to keep up, she glanced at him.

"To Gundabad." His answer was terse.

Wordlessly, she nodded.

She did not mention that there was no where else she would have been able to go.

* * *

She had defied death. She had lied, killed, ruthlessly driven her point home. And yet she did not regret it. She would have done it all - and more - again, in a heartbeat.

_Why_? they asked her, often right before her blade flashed bright across their throats, right before the endless flow of scarlet. _ Why do you do it?_

The answer was simple: Because no one else ever would. And she was now the only one of her line left.

Except...

Except for Tauriel.

Sometimes, she wondered if the flame-haired elleth knew. If she truly understood her destiny. If she was ready to face it.

She began to stand, unfolding her slim, wiry frame from the nest she had made. Once again, the hood was lifted and the mask slid in place. Now, she had truly disappeared. Thranduil, Elrond, Galadriel, Arwen. They all hunted and feared her. But they never really found her, either.

Closing her eyes, she sent a message to the elleth. She felt the bonds scream in protest as Tauriel's mind tried to block her order.

_Go, now,_ she said. _It is_ your _destiny. It was never mine_.

She drew her blade, watching as it flickered in the gloom.

_And remember, the trees are no longer silent. _Tauriel was trying to hide from the facts staring her in the face, and it was irking her. She could not wait any longer.

Flicking her wrist slightly, the long dagger was sent whistling into the trunk of a tree. It sunk over four inches, through rough bark and scarred wood, despite the seemingly effortless action.

A sudden thought occurred to her.

_Arwen_, she called, searching.

She felt the elleth's mind awakening, and pushed onward.

_They thought that they had destroyed me, didn't they? That I was dead and gone? _She paused, searching for the proper words once more._ Well, they were wrong. Tauriel's father is dead. He knew too much, even though his mind was sick. That, too, was my doing. Ever since the beginning I have fought for them - for us. It is my duty._

_And soon it will be hers._

She could feel the panic of the elf so many miles away. It was flooding over her, and though her walls were strong, she feared that soon it would flow over them.

_You know of whom I speak. _

Lips curling up into a feral grin, she rose.

_Oh, and tell your father that I said hello. He will know exactly who I am. That is another thing I am quite sure of. _She broke the flow of words.

It was time.

* * *

Tauriel stared behind her, painfully aware of the fact that her hands were on Legolas's waist. She immediately banished the thought from her mind.

_What is wrong with me?_ she wondered. _I have never felt like this before_.

Instantly, she growled. _Stop it!_ she told herself.

"What is wrong?"

She stiffened. "What?"

"You made a sound." Legolas glanced back at her, a frown on his face.

Tauriel felt blood rushing into her face. "I didn't," she snapped. It was a lie, and she knew it.

Apparently, Legolas knew it as well. "You did, Tauriel."

"I did not," she protested again.

The horse stumbled slightly.

Legolas swore, re-gathering the reins in his hands as he fought to keep the gelding under control. Tauriel was thrown against his back, her hands trying to find purchase on his clothing and weapons.

Her cheeks burning, she was suddenly thankful for the thick leather vest she wore underneath her clothing. As her mind processed the events and her own thoughts, the blush spread, burning its way down her neck.

She shifted uncomfortably, accidentally brushing her heels against the horse's sides. It snorted angrily.

Mumbling something about his father, Legolas looked over his shoulder briefly. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Fine," Tauriel growled. Releasing his waist, she searched for another anchor.

"Ouch!" Batting her hands away with one of his own, Legolas scowled. "Stop it. That hurt." The small hunting knife snapped back in place.

Narrowing her eyes, Tauriel removed her hands altogether. As the horse switched leads with a small pause, coming down with his right leg in front, she grasped the edge of the saddle.

Hesitantly, she looked down. The edge was dull and blunted, but soon it would wear a saddle sore on the animal's back.

"I will walk," she said suddenly.

Legolas jerked the horse to a stop. "What?"

"I will walk," Tauriel repeated. "Besides, soon we will have to leave him behind anyway." She looked regretfully at the slim grey horse.

Shaking his head, Legolas obligingly dismounted. "Very well. May I remind you, though, that there is still quite a ways to go? Do you not wish to save your strength?"

Scowling, Tauriel flung herself off the horse's back. Her knees protested loudly as she landed. "I'll be fine," she snapped.

He shrugged and remounted. "It is your decision."

The horse trotted off, Tauriel loping smoothly beside it.

* * *

Thranduil was less than pleased, to say the least. So far, nothing had gone as planned.

His messenger, covered in scrapes and bruises, had wandered back into his ranks several hours later. Faced with a _very_ unhappy Elvenking, he had quickly fallen to his knees and, almost sobbing, explained that the prince and the traitor had knocked him out and stolen the horse.

"I am so sorry, my lord," he had gulped.

The memory made Thranduil want to rage up and down, throwing wine glasses and destroying tables.

But, as he constantly had to remind himself, that was not how a King acted. Not at all.

Smoothing the anger from his face, the Elvenking turned.

"Wine," he said calmly. A servant hurried in with a flute of fine wine in his hands.

Settling down amongst the silken wrappings of his robes, Thranduil toyed with the idea of going home.

A vision of the dwarves, howling with laughter, flashed before him. Instantly, all such thoughts vanished from his mind. He wanted the jewels. They were his, now.

And he wanted them back.

Sighing softly, he fingered the wine glass.

Legolas.

_What am I going to do with him?_ he wondered. _After all, I cannot have him banished as well. Not openly_.

Draining the glass, he set it down.

Obviously, Legolas's loyalty to Tauriel stretched far further than his love - or hatred - for his father. There was very little Thranduil could do about it.

What would his wife have wanted? He asked himself the question idly, but it burned a hole in his thoughts.

She would have wanted Legolas to be happy. To love who he truly wanted to love.

Scowling, the Elvenking clenched the slender stem of glass between his long fingers once more.

Suddenly, he shot up.

"_No_," Thranduil murmured. "Not Legolas too."

He knew where they had gone.

Just like his wife, his son had left him. Left for Gundabad.

The wine glass shattered, coating his fingers with a mixture of blood, glass, and liquid.

_How ironic_, he thought.

* * *

**I know, I know, I'm dragging it out again. But this is all very important! I hope you enjoyed it... I had a fun time cobbling together all the clips I could find. ;)**

**R&amp;R please!**


	18. Rise and Fall

**Yeah, well, this is where I start re-writing PJ's movie. Sorry, PJ! I mean no harm or insult! I just feel like this will work better with my story-line. I will still try and stick with the movie as much as possible, though.**

**No time for anything else, I'm on the run from a hoard of angry bees! ****Well, not really. Unless you call annoying little cousins insects. They want to steal my precious, brand-new laptop! : 0**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"There is nothing," Legolas said softly. "No marker, no memory. We never speak of her."

Tauriel stared at him.

Somehow, she could not believe it. In the past several hundred years, she had, of course, wondered where Legolas's mother had died - and why Thranduil had never so much as left a hint.

Now, she knew. And the truth chilled her.

Goosebumps rose up on her skin as she gazed down at the wasteland below them.

"You never said anything," she whispered.

He didn't even glance at her.

"You never asked."

A muscle twitched in her cheek as her eyes narrowed. Suddenly, a flood of anger washed over her, and for some reason she felt as if the emotion was not her own.

"So you lied," she said calmly.

This time, he did look at her, eyes wide and startled. "What? No. I never lied, _mellon nin_."

Oddly enough, the two words of endearment made her even angrier. " '_I never knew her_,' " she mimicked, turning towards him as her eyes flashed dark green fire. " _'She died from a sickness, Father says._ ' "

Legolas frowned. "When have I ever said that?"

Teeth grinding, Tauriel switched her gaze back onto the rocks below.

"_That_ is what you told me over four hundred years ago," she said bitterly. "I can think of no reason why you would lie; we both know that she died when you were young. At least," she spat out, "you got to spend some time with her. My few memories of my own mother are rapidly disappearing." Once again, she turned her unnaturally bright eyes on him. "I_ trusted you_," Tauriel whispered. "Or, at least, I did back then, when I was younger and... and weaker."

Legolas's gaze held her own. His grey eyes were measuring, and slightly curious. And yet, Tauriel told herself, deep down there was a flicker of something darker. "I have no memory of speaking those words in your presence," he said coolly.

Tauriel arched a brow. "So you did say that?"

Frowning, Legolas nodded slowly. "I did," he admitted. "To an enemy, several centuries ago." He paused, then pushed onward. "He was being too nosy. Asking questions he should not have been. So I lied, as much as I hate to do so."

Sparks fairly flew from Tauriel's eyes.

"You lied," she repeated.

"Yes," Legolas said. "But what I cannot understand is how you knew. You knew the exact words I said, Tauriel. And yet I never told you. How?" he demanded, turning back towards her.

Tauriel could feel herself shutting down. All her doors were closing, but he was still pushing.

And so she lied.

"I do not know," Tauriel said calmly. "Perhaps I overheard it somewhere." The last part was, at least, halfway true. She _had_ overheard it - in a dream.

Legolas stared at her for a minute more, apparently lost in thought.

"I don't believe you," he finally said.

Somehow, her dagger flew from its sheath and into her hand. Without even thinking about it, she raised it to his throat.

"You will," she hissed. "Your life may depend on it."

* * *

"How is it," Thranduil said listlessly, "that every time I so much as glance the other way, you abandon me? And good Eru, Mithrandir, dwarves!"

The wizard was hunched over his staff, long ropes of hair falling over his face. "My assistance was needed elsewhere," he said wearily.

"_Your assistance_ was needed by _dwarves_!" the Elvenking thundered, heavy brows drawn together sharply. "I care not if you have an unnatural fondness for the horrid creatures, but you gave me your word!"

"I gave you my word that, if possible, I would assist you."

Thranduil snarled at him. "Fool," he bit out. "The dwarves will be your downfall, Mithrandir." He spun away, his robes flowing behind him.

Gandalf sighed. "It is not them I fear for, Thranduil. I already know that they have accepted their fate. It is Tauriel."

Thranduil stopped cold, icy fingers of fear creeping down his back.

"What did you say?" he whispered.

* * *

_"You will," Tauriel hissed. "Your life may depend on it."_

The elf opened her eyes, a smile appearing on her strong features. "_Good_," she murmured. "Yes, very good."

Standing, she pushed back the hood. Finally, she could confront the elf who made her life a nightmare for so long.

"She said she remembered me," she whispered. "Now, let's see if she remembers how well I fight."

And a chain of events was sent into action. All of them devastating.

* * *

Shaking, Legolas dropped his hand.

"Tauriel," he said. "Tauriel, something must be wrong!"

"No," she growled. "Everything is going as it should be, my lord." Her hand was shaking violently, and a bead of blood ran down Legolas's pale throat.

"Let me go," he whispered. "Please, Tauriel."

The world was spinning. The ground was shaking underneath her feet. Everything was too bright, blinding her. The dagger fell to the ground, and she spoke words that were not her own.

"Tell your father that war has begun again, princeling. Blood will run in rivers underneath his feet as he fights to defend his kin, and it will all be for nothing. The time is upon us again, elf. We will rise and conquer." She paused, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "And she will help them. She will fall, and no power in this world will make her rise again."

"How?" Legolas growled. He had risen, blades in both hands. "What have you done to her?"

Tauriel felt her lips curl into a feral grin.

"Nothing. She did it all for me. Remember the arrow, princeling?"

Legolas paled. "Yes," he said hoarsely.

Tauriel laughed. "Gyldyril and Laergulel may be gone, but I am not. We are the only ones left, now. And we will either fall or rise. She has made her choice."

Gesturing towards the barren land below them, Tauriel sniffed. "Many died here. I can smell it. Their blood still taints the rocks. Grey elves!" she suddenly spat out. "What fools." Laughing contemptuously, Tauriel turned. "She is leaving. Her duty to you is done, princeling. She will likely die on the battlefield, so say your goodbyes now." She sneered at him.

Staring at Tauriel's blank eyes, Legolas felt a sense of horror strong enough to make him forget that, just minutes before, she had been holding a blade to his throat.

"She will die?" he whispered hoarsely.

Tauriel raised a brow, and it was eerie to hear her speak about herself in third person.

"Perhaps. Your father will try and do what he believes is his duty. You must save her from that fate, Legolas." Drawing closer, Tauriel felt herself grab his shoulder. "If she dies by his hands, he will have started something he will never - _never_ \- be able to stop."

Shaking, Legolas wrenched away.

A snarl curled its way onto her face. "Be careful, princeling. One day, she may do more than threaten you, even when I am not . . . helping her."

Tauriel jerked backwards, breathing hard. "No . . . " she sobbed. "_No_!" But even as she cried, she moved away. Back towards where the battle would likely take place.

_Back to his father._

Legolas fell back once more, his head spinning.

_"Your father will . . ."_

_"Your father . . ."_

_"Be careful_ . . ."

He turned and ran.

* * *

Deep in the shadows, bright green eyes snapped open.

* * *

Gandalf looked at the Elvenking sadly. "I'm sorry," he said.

"_No_!" Thranduil roared.

Glass shattered and splintered. Blood dripped down his hand, flowing down into his sleeve.

He winced, removing shards from his hand.

"No," he said more calmly. "She will not. I will not accept it."

* * *

**Sooo. Yeah. Insert awkward pause here. **  
**Anyways, this chapter was bit shorter than I wanted it to be. So, I apologize! I am planning for there to be two or three more chapters in this fic. I have already edited and completed chapter one of TT #3, but I have no idea when it will be up. And yes, more stuff will be explained. I promise!**

**Hoping for a nice, fast update for y'all!**  
**R&amp;R, please!**


	19. Shatter Me

**Well, here we have it. The second-to-last chapter. Thank you to the guest reviewers! This took ages for me to write (I seriously hate writer's block), and then I forgot to spell-check it, and ...**

**Oh, forget it! Hopefully, this was worth the wait. It focuses mainly on Tauriel and Thranduil, and I know that I skipped over several big scenes, but I just wasn't able to spin a story with them. :/**

* * *

Thranduil marched down the path, blood staining his boots. He was furious. His blade flashed across an Orc's throat, and it fell to the side. His gaze shifted from its body, and suddenly the world faded.

_She_ was standing there. A muted splash of green and brown, and a cloak of blood red hair. For half a second, he thought that it was Audriel - or, even worse, Gyldyril. But as he blinked, the elf's face shifted back into shape. Tauriel.

"You will go no further," she spat in Elvish. Switching back to the common tongue, she spoke again, her words trembling slightly with emotion. "You will not turn away. Not this time."

The Elvenking stared at her, his face icy.

"Get out of my way," he said. His mouth barely moved.

Tauriel continued to look at him, and in her eyes he saw the reflection of her mother. So dear to him once, and now hated.

"The dwarves will be slaughtered," she said quietly.

"Yes, they will die." Tilting his head to one side, Thranduil regarded her with a faint sense of respect. Very few had the courage to stand before him as she was doing now. But those who did were never standing for long. "Today. Tomorrow. One year hence, a hundred years from now. What does it matter?" he asked her, slowly approaching.

Fear flickered in her eyes for a brief second.

He resisted the urge to smile. "They are mortal."

Tauriel snapped. She whipped an arrow from her quiver, laying it on the bow in a mere second. With a creak, it was pulled to full draw.

Thranduil jerked backwards, disbelief boiling inside him. It was a strange emotion, one he did not care for. She could end his life in a mere heartbeat, if she wanted, yet she did not. A small, impartial part of him wanted to know _why_. Why she had not let the arrow fly in the beginning.

"You think your life is worth more than theirs. . ."

_Yes_, he wanted to say. _I do_.

But she was not done.

". . . when there is no love in it." Her voice had dropped to a mere whisper, but it carried clearly.

And still, she continued. Her words were eating away at his heart, poison to his mind and soul.

"_There is no love in you_."

Something inside of him snapped. She thought she knew of love, and yet she knew nothing of the poison it carried. Of how, when the one you loved was gone, your mind and heart collapsed and it was all you could do to keep standing.

She had never, _ever_ felt what he had.

His sword whipped out, slicing through her bow, and taking a small lock of blood red hair with it.

Tauriel stared at her hands as pieces of wood fell from them. She was shaking now, and it made him glad. Finally, she was scared of him.

"What do you know of love?"

The point of his blade inched ever closer to her throat. Swallowing hard, Tauriel tilted her head backwards as she desperately tried to keep the edge of his blade in her line of vision.

"Nothing!" Words came unbidden to his tongue, his own type of poison. "What you feel for that dwarf is not real." She looked at him quickly as a tear raced down her cheek. "You think it is love?" he asked coldly. "Are you ready to die for it?"

He waited for a flood of fear. But it did not come, and he hesitated. It was a mistake.

Another blade sliced downward, followed by a high ringing sound that only Elvish steel forced against Elvish steel could make.

Thranduil whipped his head around.

"If you harm her, you will have to kill me."

His heart, already laced with a web of cracks, shattered.

_Legolas_, his mind screamed. _No_.

Thranduil froze, taking in his son's face. So determined, so open. The face his wife had loved since birth. Legolas was one of his last remaining memories of her, and even now he was slipping away. In a heartbeat, he knew that his son was truly willing to die for Tauriel.

It was eating him alive, burning through his chest. Acid, corrosive and bitter to the taste.

And, for one of the first times in his life, Thranduil was scared.

Legolas turned away, back towards Tauriel.

"I will go with you," he said quietly.

Tauriel spun on her heel and walked quickly away, her mind spinning.

She had been within inches of death. And somehow, everything else had fallen away.

Thranduil stood in the same position for what seemed like hours, head bowed as a single tear raced down his cheek, hidden from all but himself. His own world was poisoned, now. Shattered like a piece of glass. Melting away like a single snowflake.

Tauriel looked back, once. A lock of her hair was whipped away in the wind.

She opened her mouth, then closed it. She turned away. And she ran.

* * *

Tauriel screamed. She screamed loud enough for blood to roll down her throat, half-choking her. Kili stared at her with blank, unseeing eyes.

A trickle of blood ran out of her nose and into her mouth. It was warm and salty, even as everything else was icy, icy cold.

He was gone.

The massive Orc shoved his limp body roughly to the ground. The world was fading around her. Tears, freezing cold, raced down her cheeks, mingling with dirt and blood.

She looked up. Bolg was approaching her, his ugly face contorted with pleasure.

Anger consumed her, a burning flame that sent warmth spiraling down into the very tips of her fingers. It felt _good_. Slowly, every bone in her body aching, Tauriel shoved herself upright.

_One more step,_ she thought. _Just one more._

Bolg moved forward again, and with a cry, she flung herself at him with her last bit of strength. Her ribs popped dangerously, and a rancid smell surrounded her, but she was still hanging on.

Bolg snarled, trying to swing her off the cliff. She clung tightly to his neck, her fingers and arms aching.

_There_.

Her boots connected with a hard surface, and she shoved with everything she had. Bolg wobbled, teetering on the edge, then fell.

The rush of air around her as she fell did nothing to ease her feeling of intense satisfaction.

Kili had died. And if she died as well, Bolg went with her.

She smiled.

* * *

Tauriel stared at Kili's pale face, tears racing down her cheeks.

Her face pale, she stretched shaking fingers towards his face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

Dropping her head, she muffled a sob in her ragged sleeve. Everything had gone wrong. This was never supposed to happen.

Raising her eyes, she looked again at Kili.

"I'll tell your mother," she promised. "And I'll give her the stone."

She knew that it was foolish, speaking to him, but the ache in her heart was too much.

Something moved.

Tauriel's head snapped up, her eyes narrowed. It was the Elvenking.

Her lips curled back into a snarl. Somehow, she still blamed him for all of this.

"_You_," she mouthed. Her recent experience with him warned her not to say the word aloud.

Thranduil looked startled, then almost ashamed. "I am sorry," he said. There was a ring of truth to his words, and her anger suddenly vanished. Opening her mouth, she stared at him for a second.

"I want to bury him," she said.

Once again, surprise showed on his face. It seemed they had both let their masks drop.

"Yes," he said, so softly she could barely hear it.

_. . . I have treated you as I would a daughter. . . . Perhaps you should begin treating me as you would a father ._ . .

Slowly, she raised her eyes to his, and words began to pour out of her mouth. "If this is love, I do not want it. Take it from me." His face hardened suddenly. "Please," she whispered.

Thranduil moved slowly forward, staring at the dwarf's body.

"Why does it hurt so _much_?" Tauriel gasped, her eyes pleading.

The Elvenking's face was stern and pale, but inside he, too, was in pain. "Because it was real," he said quietly.

Tauriel raised her face slowly to his.

Thranduil's eyes met hers, regret and sadness shining in them. Something shimmered in the corner of his eye, then raced down his cheek.

A tear.

Tauriel dropped her eyes to Kili's face, oddly peaceful in death. Leaning forward, she gently placed a kiss on his lips. She knew it was what he had wanted more than anything, but she was unable to give it to him. She had been scared, scared of love and confused. Even now, when she knew she had loved him only as a brother, she was fearful of it. Of the horrendous pain love could bring to her.

Gently, she lowered Kili's hand to the ground.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again.

* * *

"Who are you?" Lady Galadriel asked.

The elleth arched a brow. "Wouldn't you love to know." She paused, then added, "I have to tell you soon, anyway. I am Audriel, Tauriel's mother."

"_What_?"

" ' What? ' she says?" Audriel laughed. "That's right, Galadriel. I am Audriel, Tauriel's mother. Aruelle was the one who died that day." A bitter smile twisted her lips. "Not that she didn't deserve it. My dear, sweet sister!" she said mockingly. "I told her to come back and take care of Tauriel - or Seena, as I called her. She was more than happy to do so. Now, she is dead, Thranduil has stolen my daughter, and I am hated throughout the lands. Oh, yes, this worked out wonderfully," she spat. "I will do anything - _anything_ \- to get my daughter back." Her eyes were icy.

The Lady of Lorien looked at her, measuring her face and build. "You look nothing like Tauriel," she said slowly.

"Oh?" Audriel said in surprise. "I must have forgotten to drop the glamour." Inhaling deeply, her face shimmered and then slid away.

Lady Galadriel could not repress a gasp.

"I see," she said slowly. "Very well. Follow me."

* * *

**Well, there you have it. I am not sure when the next chapter will be up, but reviews definitely make a difference! As with the previous chapters, I apologize if the scenes are a bit skewed. I am partially re-writing the movie, but want to stick as close to the facts as possible. :)**

**R&amp;R, please!**


	20. Teardrop

**This is it, folks. And I hate it and love it. :/ Thank you to those who reviewed! I *think* that all the questions asked have been answered, but if not feel free to leave me some nice, big angry comments, LOL! **  
**Thank you, GRandElusYon, Guest, and TinkStar87 for your reviews. They are what keeps me going!**

**And... and... Ugh, I don't want to end it! For anyone out there, who reviewed, followed or favorited at ANY TIME in this story: Seriously. I love you.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_He's gone. Dead._

_Dead._

_Dead . . ._

Knees pulled tightly to her chest, Tauriel rocked back and forth on the hard, cold ground.

_It could have been me._

_It should have been me._

_Why wasn't it me?_

_Because I am weak. Because I am one with darkness in me._

_Because I fell. _

_Why wasn't it me? _

_I promised him . . ._

_Did I promise him?_

_I can't remember._

_Why can't I remember?_

_Because I am weak . ._ .

* * *

The moon rose high above her as she stepped outside the tent, her face pale in the silvery light. Slowly, Tauriel moved towards the edges of the Elvenking's camp. There were few elves on watch. The whole camp was still, and somewhere an elf sobbed quietly.

Losses had been heavy. Tauriel had made no effort to even acknowledge the fact that Thranduil had offered her temporary safe-haven. Her mind was blank, emptied of all emotions. Her heart was cracking, to be sure, but she vowed she would never let it break.

Draped in shadows, her long hair pulled tightly back from her face, she slipped away. A new bow, stolen from a sleeping elf, swung from one hand. Her daggers were strapped to her waist, and her whole body ached.

Her mind was racing; and yet she was aware of every gust of wind. She could not afford to loose her battle now. Not when she was so close.

Tauriel glanced back, just once, allowing a flash of guilt to shine through. Instantly, she shook it away.

Behind her, another figure glided across the ground. Perfectly silent, it followed her as she turned down a vaguely outlined path stained with blood.

Oblivious, Tauriel continued her march. Head down, she pushed forward.

"_Tauriel_," someone hissed.

Her head snapped up, an arrow nocked and drawn at the cloaked and hooded figure standing five feet away. Hands trembling slightly, Tauriel swallowed hard. She did not want to kill; yet she knew that if it came to a fight she would have to do so.

"Who are you?" she called out quietly. Her words came out shaky.

The hood dropped. Legolas quirked a dark brow, a question written all over his face.

"What are you doing, Tauriel?!" he demanded, taking three quick strides towards her. She slumped, releasing the tension on the bow string.

"Leaving," she mumbled.

Clearly shocked, Legolas grasped her by the shoulders and shook hard.

"What are you _thinking_?" he hissed. "You are truly leaving? I saved your life, Tauriel, and _this_ is how you repay me?"

Tauriel mumbled something unintelligible.

"What?" he growled. "What did you say?"

Her head snapped up, eyes flashing muted green fire in the half-light. "I said I don't need you any more!"

Legolas stilled. "What?" he whispered.

Tauriel opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. "Never mind," she said quietly. "I should not have said that."

Turning away, she half-ran, a thrill of pain shooting through her legs with each forced step. Legolas trailed behind her, his face pale.

"Tauriel?"

She ignored him.

"Tauriel! Please, listen to me."

Silence.

Lunging forward, Legolas grasped her shoulder, swinging her back around to face him.

A dagger appeared at his throat. He froze, eyes fixed on Tauriel's face.

"S-_stop_." Forcing the words from her mouth, Tauriel tried to still the shaking in her hands. A small bead of blood appeared on Legolas's throat. Tauriel stared at it, horror written all over her face. Her face contorted suddenly, and she wrenched the blade away.

Legolas exhaled.

"Why?" he whispered.

Green eyes flared suddenly.

"I don't know." The words came out almost sullenly, as if she were a child caught in the act of disobedience.

Legolas took several steps back. "I won't fight you, _mellon nin_. But I will not let you leave, either. Not without telling me why."

She snarled at him. "Leave me alone."

He stared at her for several seconds. Her eyes flared with anger and defiance, and in his heart he knew that it was pointless. Stepping backwards, Legolas turned away.

"Very well," he finally said. "Goodbye, Tauriel."

* * *

Audriel looked curiously at the Lady Galadriel, her slanted green eyes bright.

"You are taking this quite calmly," she said carefully.

"Indeed."

"Though it may sound odd, I was not expecting you to agree with me, much less help my cause."

Blue eyes met hers. "Perhaps you were misguided in your beliefs."

Audriel pushed her lips together, compressing them into a thin line. "Perhaps."

The Lady of Lorien turned away from the Mirror, inclining her head slightly. "I have seen many paths. Some lead to happiness, eventually collapsing as shadow pushes in. A few contain unspeakable horrors. Now, most have one ending: war. We have but glimpsed the evil that is overtaking these lands, and I fear that the Elvenking is only making it worse. The Greenwood has fallen deeply into shadow, spiders and other creatures of darkness now living there. Thranduil cares for none of it." She sighed. "I believe that Tauriel's fall has only made things worse."

Audriel stared at her hands.

Galadriel arched a pale brow. "You still care for him, do you not?"

Audriel glanced upwards quickly, then back down. Her hands clenched suddenly, fingernails digging into her palms.

"_Yes_," she finally whispered.

"I see."

"I know I should not!" Audriel burst out. "I should not, not after all he has done to me. Done to Seena - _Tauriel_. I should never have let him get close to me. I knew who he was, and what he had done." She took a quivering breath. "But somehow, I did, and I never stopped caring." A tear slid down her cheek.

Lady Galadriel looked on, impartial and seemingly unfeeling. "You did not come back for your daughter," she said.

"But I _did_!" she cried. "I tried. I went back for her many times, when I had recovered and had deemed myself strong enough to raise her. Aruelle did not let me. But I was always there, in the background. I taught her to fight, to love, to do so _much_! She has just forgotten."

"She has not forgotten." The Lady of Lorien gestured for Audriel to approach the Mirror. "There are still faint memories of you, although most have been overrun by her emotions. She is blinded by her pain."

Audriel stepped forward. "What do you want me to do?" she asked quietly.

Galadriel did not even glance at her. "You will look into the Mirror. I do not know what it will show you, only that there are three choices. It is up to you which one you take."

"What will it do?" Audriel asked, looking warily at the basin.

"I do not know."

And with that reassuring comment, she looked downward.

Fire overtook her.

* * *

_Flames. Burning bright in the darkness, enveloping her. Burning the skin from her bones, ash choking her. _

_Hot. _

_So, so hot. Melting. _

_A face._

_Reach for it. It is hope. _

_Fingers crumble like ashes, and the world falls away._

* * *

Audriel screamed, throwing herself backwards.

"What did it do to me?" she panted.

Lady Galadriel looked slightly alarmed. "I do not know. I have never known it to have that reaction before. Perhaps something about you was pushing it away."

Audriel said something under her breath.

Galadriel's eyebrows flew up.

"Never mind," she said, pushing herself upright. "I should not have come here. I will seek help elsewhere, Lady of the Wood. I thank you for your service." Her words were harsh, and abrupt enough to be considered a dismissal.

Galadriel glided towards her. "I fear you will not find what you seek," she said softly. "Thranduil will never love again."

Audriel's face turned ashen, but she did not tremble. "I know. I seek not him, Lady of Lorien, but Lord Elrond. He alone knows who Tauriel truly is, though he has not only long denied it, but has lied in his desperation to disguise the truth. I go now to Rivendell." She straightened. "If I do not return, I beg that you tell Tauriel who she must go to. She has a long rode to travel."

The Lady of Light tilted her head. "How do you know we will meet, Audriel, daughter of Gyldyril?"

Audriel smiled. "I have seen it."

* * *

Tauriel stared after Legolas, her breath coming hard and fast. Tears threatened, but she pushed them back.

She had pushed away her one remaining supporter. Turned on him as quickly as his father. And yet she felt no regret, only a persistent aching in her chest as she choked back tears.

She didn't know what to feel, or what to say. Should she run back, back to the one would gladly open him arms to her? Or run from everything else, including herself?

She turned away again. Suddenly, she looked back. A sob tore from her throat.

"_Galu, mellon nin. Savo 'lass a lalaith_."

A single tear forced its way out, racing down her cheek and dropping onto the icy ground.

"_Goheno nin_," she whispered.

* * *

**Translations - rough, I am in no way an expert!**  
_Galu, mellon nin. Savo 'lass a lalaith - _Goodbye, my friend. I wish you well._  
__Goheno nin - _Farewell.**_  
_**

**Well, here we go. This is _my_ farewell, until TT#3. I must admit, I am quite disappointed this had to end sooo soon. Thank you again for you, my loyal readers! If I could reach through the screen and hug you all, I would, but . . . well, reality hits. **

**As usual, I will update here with a notice that TT#3 is up. The more reviews I get, the faster it will come on up! **

**Feel free to PM me with any questions, ideas, ect., I will do my best to answer them. If you leave a guest review here, I will also try and answer them on the update notice. : )**


	21. AN

**Sigh.**

**Yes, I know that this took FOREVER to get up, but hopefully y'all will forgive me. I pulled a muscle in my lower back, and was essentially crippled for the next two weeks. :/ Thankfully, it looks like I will make a full recovery, although I will likely never be as flexible.**

**Oh, and get this. I FINALLY got to watch the BoFA! I mean, better late then never, right?**

**I received several comments and PMs about how Tauriel is just so ungrateful and oblivious. Believe me, karma will hit her hard later on. :) I, for one, remember gaping at the screen as she completely ignored Legolas after the battle. I mean, who wouldn't be annoyed after that?! You save someone's life because you love them, they love someone else (or at least in the movie), and they don't care that you saved their life multiple times!**

**On to the reviews. Thank you to those who followed, favorited, PMed me, and reviewed! :)**

**Jedi Kay-Kenobi, I. Am. So. Jealous. Hope you had a great time! :D LOL! Yeah, at one point I got confused myself. I stared at my story outline for a few minutes before the plot popped back into my head. Yeah. Needless to say, I made a better outline after that! :p**  
**TinkStar87, awww! Thank you!**

**One thing I would like to mention is that I received a very rude and hateful guest review. They essentially ranted about how this was the worst story ever, how I must be ashamed of myself to ever think I am a writer, that my work is trash, ect., ect, on and on and _on_. Now, I have NO problem with folks telling me what they do and don't like, and in fact I really appreciate it. But, this reviewer took it to the extreme IMO. I understand that there are always going to be haters, and I accept that. But it is rather hard to take someone seriously when most of the words are misspelled, and there is no punctuation to speak of. :p I know I am far from perfect as a writer, but if you do decide to leave your opinions please do so in a way that I can read. My brain is still trying to decipher the spelling in that particular review. **

**Anyways, the first chapter of The Beginning of the End is up! It starts slow (and feel free to complain if I start rambling on and on about horses; it is a rather annoying habit), but I think it just might be the best of the three fics so far.**

**I hope to see some familiar pen names there! :) Thanks again, y'all!**


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